Liberal parliamentarianism in Mexico. Notes for reflection: the parliamentary representation of the State of Puebla in the Mexican National Congresses, 1833–56

Abstract

After achieving independence from the Spanish colonial dominion, a process of political development began in Mexico, tending towards setting up the nation-state while creating and consolidating its own institutions following a liberal political model. This resulted in the beginning of the parliamentarization of Mexican political life and the changing of the ruling classes – with certain filtering – opening up the way to a new political/parliamentary elite linked to diverse liberal options. This article sets out to propose some initial thoughts and debate around one of the most overlooked aspects of the first liberalism in Mexico: the political protagonists of the Mexican parliamentary stages that witnessed the consolidation process of the liberal state model that was representative in the country. To do so, as one of the main research methodologies in terms of the parliamentary participants, basic biographical profiles and prosopographical analysis are set out in this article. In this case, partial results are presented of a specific case study, from which partial conclusions and comparative guidelines are presented. This case focuses on parliamentary representation of the State of Puebla in the Mexican National Congresses, during the period 1833–56.