The 16th of September 1810. It is a famous day which is remembered in Mexico for the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain.
Almost 200 years later would impartial observers think that the results of this revolution from Spain have been successful? I speak the Spanish language fairly fluently, and I have travelled widely over much of Spain and Mexico. Can I compare the two countries?
Spain went through the terrible period of fascism, and in fact still has strong pressures from both the Basques and even the Catalans to split up the country into several small countries. Some excellent artists have come out of Spain, including Pablo Picasso and Juan Miro. Barcelona and Madrid are truly world class cities. Belonging to the European Union, Spain has adopted governmental policies resulting in a relatively stable economy and a generally adequate record on human rights. Not due to the actions of the Spanish, desertification has gradually been growing. In general Spain is a country which poor people from Africa would like to get to.
Rampant and extreme poverty and human rights violations are far more of a problem in Mexico than in Spain. Mexico used to have tremendous natural resources like oil and gas. Unfortunately the philosophical idea of rule-of-law never really got acceptance in Mexico, and corruption has gradually continued to grow. In the twenty first century the country seems to be close to imploding because of the combined scourges of poverty, drugs, human rights violations, and governmental corruption. In general Mexico is a country which poor people travel through while trying to reach a more prosperous country.
Looking at it from a purely historical perspective in my judgement it is clear that the people of Mexico would have been better off had the country remained a part of Spain.
LINK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_War_of_Independence
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