Description
Book SynopsisLocal Liberalisms shows how early nineteenth-century Mexicans—be they indigenous villagers, government officials, or local elites—worked to incorporate the institutions of liberalism into their daily political lives, and how those local institutions interacted with a national liberal movement that often contradicted them.
Trade Review"Based on truly impressive and original archival research, this book gives us a fascinating look at the negotiations and compromises that take place in local arenas in the process of state formation. Caplan undertakes the difficult task of comparative history and makes a significant contribution to the growing literature on nation building in Mexico." -- Francie R. Chassen-López * University of Kentucky *
"In this highly interesting but complex book comparing Mexican liberalism in Oaxaca and Yucatįn, Caplan challenges the assumption that early-19th-century Mexican state-building failed because of liberalism . . . Recommended." -- R. Acuńa *
CHOICE *
"This is a very important work, and one that will be cited for years to come. It presents stimulating new material in a comparative framework that is elegant and compelling." -- Peter Guardino * Indiana University *
"A daring, thought-provoking foray into new terrain for comparative literary studies. Caplan's innovative theoretical model challenges the established cultural hierarchies by foregrounding 'marginal' traditions and exposing social and ideological ruptures that are often glossed over in the dominant Western discourse." -- Mikhail Krutikov * University of Michigan *
"Caplan's comparison of the penetration of national liberalism at the local level clearly demonstrates the ways in which differing local conditions impacted the course of Mexican history. Her choice of two states that were heavily indigenous sets the stage for future historians to do more comparative work." -- Andrae M. Marak *
Canadian Journal of History *
