Benito Juarez's War Of Reform

Throughout Mexican history, there was no separation between the state and church. In the 19th century, Liberals reached out to the United States to gain funds to create this separation of power between the state and church. This fight to decrease the church’s power was between the Conservative and Liberal party. It was called the War of Reform, which is also known as La Reforma and lasted three years (1858-1861). The liberal party was led by Benito Juarez, an indigenous politician, who believed in the reduction of the church’s power and land. During Benito Juarez’s presidency, liberals looked up to European ideas and believed in capitalism, federalism and progress; while the conservatives believed in Mexican tradition and the preservation of the Catholic church’s power over the state. Benito Juarez is remembered for being progressive and the first indigenous president of Mexico who fought bravely against the church. In this essay, I will analyze how Juarez’s liberal views changed the politics between state and church. I will also argue how Juarez’s presidency was the beginning of the liberal movement in Mexico and helped create a political path for liberals to continue.

Both governments opposed each other which lead to a civil war that lasted three years. La Reforma was known as the liberal political and social revolution and was fought between the Conservatives and the Liberals. The Liberals wanted to eliminate the political, economic, and cultural power of the Catholic church5. The Conservatives wanted a centralist government where the Church and the military kept their traditional roles and powers, to maintain their dominance of the majority mixed-race and indigenous populations of Mexico6. The United States government intervened in La Reforma and recognized that Juarez’s government, the liberals, were of power and aided them