Enrique Flores Magón
Encyclopedia
Enrique Flores Magón was a Mexican
journalist and politician, associated with the Mexican Liberal Party
and anarchism
. His name is most frequently linked with that of his elder brother, Ricardo Flores Magón
, and the political philosophy they espoused, magonismo.
(since renamed Teotitlán de Flores Magón) in the state of Oaxaca
on 13 April 1877,
to Margarita Magón and Teodoro Flores, a Nahua who had fought in Benito Juárez
's Liberal Army.
At an early age the family relocated to Mexico City
. He was a student in the capital in 1884 when demonstrations broke out against the third re-election of President
Porfirio Díaz
.
By 1902 he and his brother Ricardo, working on the anti-Díaz broadsheet El hijo de El Ahuizote, were arrested and incarcerated in the military prison at Santiago Tlatelolco. While in prison the brothers explored the ideas of writers such as Kropotkin
, Faure
, Errico Malatesta
, Maxim Gorki, and Proudhon
and discussed the possibility of disseminating anarchist ideas in Mexico.
Upon their release from prison in January 1903, the brothers returned to publishing El hijo del Ahuizote and, on 5 February of that year, Enrique Flores Magón drew a banner declaring "The Constitution is Dead", which they hung in front of its offices.
On 2 April 1903, they and other liberals stormed a pro-Díaz demonstration and succeeded in turning it into an anti-Díaz event, calling for the dictator's death. On 11 April Enrique Flores Magón was arrested again; he was later released, but subject to a ban on publishing any written materials. As a result, Enrique and Ricardo left Mexico for the United States
, arriving in Laredo, Texas
in late 1903.
Enrique lived in several cities around the U.S. and Canada, concealing his identity, constantly changing address, and frequently losing contact with Ricardo. In St. Louis, Missouri
, he helped draft the platform of the Mexican Liberal Party
(PLM).
He recommenced publication in the United States of the newspaper Regeneración,
which the brothers had founded in 1900, and organized a clandestine network for its distribution in Mexico. He continued in these endeavours until 1917, when he left the Organizing Committee of the PLM and the Regeneración editorial team.
Following Ricardo's death in 1922, he returned to Mexico in 1923, where he had a series of disagreements with former magonistas.
In 1933 he helped leaders of the National Agrarian League found the Confederación Campesina Mexicana in San Luis Potosí
.
He died in Mexico City
on 28 October 1954.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
journalist and politician, associated with the Mexican Liberal Party
Mexican Liberal Party
The Mexican Liberal Party was an anarchist group co-founded by Ricardo Flores Magón in 1906, in opposition to the rule of Porfirio Díaz. The MLP was involved in strikes and uprisings in Mexico from 1906 to 1911. The party controlled most parts of Baja California in 1911, including Tijuana,...
and anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
. His name is most frequently linked with that of his elder brother, Ricardo Flores Magón
Ricardo Flores Magón
Cipriano Ricardo Flores Magón was a noted Mexican anarchist and social reform activist. His brothers Enrique and Jesús were also active in politics. Followers of the Magón brothers were known as Magonistas....
, and the political philosophy they espoused, magonismo.
Biography
He was born in Teotitlán del Camino(since renamed Teotitlán de Flores Magón) in the state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
on 13 April 1877,
to Margarita Magón and Teodoro Flores, a Nahua who had fought in Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
's Liberal Army.
At an early age the family relocated to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. He was a student in the capital in 1884 when demonstrations broke out against the third re-election of President
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
.
By 1902 he and his brother Ricardo, working on the anti-Díaz broadsheet El hijo de El Ahuizote, were arrested and incarcerated in the military prison at Santiago Tlatelolco. While in prison the brothers explored the ideas of writers such as Kropotkin
Kropotkin
Peter Kropotkin was a Russian prince and anarchist.Kropotkin may also refer to:*Pyotr Nikolayevich Kropotkin , Soviet/Russian geologist, tectonician, and geophysicist*Mount Kropotkin, a peak in Antarctica...
, Faure
Faure
Faure or Fauré is a French family name and may refer to:People:* Edgar Faure, French politician* Élie Faure, French art historian and essayist* Émile Alphonse Faure, lead battery pioneer* Cédric Fauré, French football striker...
, Errico Malatesta
Errico Malatesta
Errico Malatesta was an Italian anarcho-communist. He was an insurrectionary anarchist early in his life. He spent much of his life exiled from his homeland of Italy and in total spent more than ten years in prison. He wrote and edited a number of radical newspapers and was also a friend of...
, Maxim Gorki, and Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was a French politician, mutualist philosopher and socialist. He was a member of the French Parliament, and he was the first person to call himself an "anarchist". He is considered among the most influential theorists and organisers of anarchism...
and discussed the possibility of disseminating anarchist ideas in Mexico.
Upon their release from prison in January 1903, the brothers returned to publishing El hijo del Ahuizote and, on 5 February of that year, Enrique Flores Magón drew a banner declaring "The Constitution is Dead", which they hung in front of its offices.
On 2 April 1903, they and other liberals stormed a pro-Díaz demonstration and succeeded in turning it into an anti-Díaz event, calling for the dictator's death. On 11 April Enrique Flores Magón was arrested again; he was later released, but subject to a ban on publishing any written materials. As a result, Enrique and Ricardo left Mexico for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, arriving in Laredo, Texas
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
in late 1903.
Enrique lived in several cities around the U.S. and Canada, concealing his identity, constantly changing address, and frequently losing contact with Ricardo. In St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, he helped draft the platform of the Mexican Liberal Party
Mexican Liberal Party
The Mexican Liberal Party was an anarchist group co-founded by Ricardo Flores Magón in 1906, in opposition to the rule of Porfirio Díaz. The MLP was involved in strikes and uprisings in Mexico from 1906 to 1911. The party controlled most parts of Baja California in 1911, including Tijuana,...
(PLM).
He recommenced publication in the United States of the newspaper Regeneración,
which the brothers had founded in 1900, and organized a clandestine network for its distribution in Mexico. He continued in these endeavours until 1917, when he left the Organizing Committee of the PLM and the Regeneración editorial team.
Following Ricardo's death in 1922, he returned to Mexico in 1923, where he had a series of disagreements with former magonistas.
In 1933 he helped leaders of the National Agrarian League found the Confederación Campesina Mexicana in San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
.
He died in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on 28 October 1954.