He was known for his honesty and candor. Alaman, who was in favor of a state structure with a strong central government, advocated rapid industrialization, the development of market relations in agriculture and the dissemination of education during his tenure.
(1792-1853) Mexican politician and historian. It was influential in the political life of Mexico after independence. Born October 1792 in Guanajuato, died June 2, 1853, in Mexico City. He came from a noble family that owned rich gold and silver mines. After studying mining engineering, he went to Spain and France to continue his education. During his stay in Europe from 1814 to 1820, he admired the solidity of British political institutions. In 1819, the Spanish Assembly joined the Cortes as representative of Mexico. In 1822 he returned to Mexico, which had gained its independence the year before. He served as foreign minister in the government of Guadalupe Victoria from 1824 to 1829 and in the government of Anastasio Bustamante from 1829 to 1832.
From the 1820s until his death, he was the ideological leader of the conservatives. He was known for his honesty and candor. Alaman, who was in favor of a state structure with a strong central government, advocated rapid industrialization, the development of market relations in agriculture, and the dissemination of education during his tenure.
His plans for Mexico to become an industrial country remained on paper as it was incompatible with the country's economic structure. He made efforts to increase Mexico's credibility in international markets. He proposed protective tariff walls to encourage wealthy landowners to invest in the industry. Banco de Avio, which he founded in 1830 with the support of the state, aimed to provide cheap loans to private entrepreneurs for the purpose of promoting industry. Alaman also served as the general manager of this bank until 1833.
In 1853, he advocated the appointment of the leader of the liberals, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, to the presidency. He thought that Santa Ana, who had gained notoriety in the Texas uprising and the war with the United States, could realize his dream of a strong state. He died shortly after he became secretary of state again during Santa Ana's presidency. Known as an important historian as well as his political personality, Alaman pioneered the establishment of the National Archive and Anthropology Museum in Mexico.
He published his works on history in the conservative party newspaper El Tiempo and El Universal, viewing historical information as a weapon that could be used for political ends. In his book Disertaci-ones sobre la historia de la republica Mejicana (“Theses on the History of the Mexican Republic”) he examined the history of Mexico from Spanish rule to independence. Historia de Mejico, on the other hand, dealt with the history of Mexico in the period 1808-1848. Alaman emphasized that the legacy of the Spaniards was superior to the liberal doctrine of the USA, and defended the independence of Mexico by criticizing the negativities of the colonial administration.
WORKS:
Disertaciones sobre la historia de la republica Mejicana, 3 vols, 1848-1849; (“Theses on the History of the Mexican Republic”),
Historia de Mejico, 5 vols, 1849-1852, (“History of Mexico”).