The Zapatista's Post-Modern War: Causes of the Rebellion in Chiapas

Abstract

Amid accusations of today’s neoliberal ideologues that the Chiapas rebellion was nothing but the work of Stalinists and foreigners, and obdurate and upstart minorities out to manipulate the “gullible Indians” of the Lacandon rainforest and Chiapas highlands, eight factors stand out as the true causes of what may be aptly described as the Zapatista’s post-modern war. With the Maya’s heritage of resistance, the crisis of the traditional hacienda, the rise of the theology of liberation and the democratic fervor of the students of the 68 combining with impoverishment , marginalization, exclusion and institutionalized violence, the Chiapas rebellion was meant to be the first revolution of the 21st Century – inheriting from and building upon previous revolutionary postulates. In the final analysis, what these “post modern” revolutionaries aim is modest but at the same time ambitious: to defend by force of arms the land, liberty, and dignity of the people of Chiapas and Mexico, and to initiate a change in their consciousness to pave the way for democracy with dignity, justice, and autonomy. It may perhaps be brought to fruition, but in any case, it would be a tragedy for humanity if it were not.