s difficult having a three thousand mile border with one of the most powerful and industrialized nations in the world. Mexico is in the shadows of the United States. During the time of the Pofiriato the West in the United States was developing, technology was expanding and their importance on the global scene was increasing. Mexico wanted to be able to follow the United States in some of these aspects. Pofirio Diaz believed that if Mexico was to obtain foreign investment, they would have to portray an image of prosperity and peace. In order to display this desired image Diaz would spend exorbitant amounts of money on buildings so that other nations would see this growthand becp,e confident in Mexicos potential for investment. To obtain this image, Diaz silenced the people in Mexico and ruled as a dictator. This image of Diaz can be observed in the film Viva Zapata. During the Pofiriato Mexico wanted to become more modernized and to do so, Pofirio Diaz wanted foreign investment. A lot of the investment came from entrepreneurs in the United States. Mexico wanted foreign companies to come to Mexico and develop their resources; in result nearly all the land was privately owned. This is one reason that Mexico feels hesitant towards the United States. The land in Mexico was monopolistic with heavy foreign ownership and domination; Mexico literally didnt even own itself. This heavy foreign investment reduced the income of the middle and working classes in Mexico, which were created during the Porfiriato. Inflation climbed higher and higher. Increased taxation was necessary by the government to fill the void left by inflation and exemptions designed to encourage foreign investment. In other words, Mexicos people were being thoroughly ripped off so-to-speak, by foreigners. (Gil)One example of a large American investment in Mexico was in the railroad system. In Mexico it was debated whether or not to invite foreign money to help Mexi...
