How Did Agustin Iturbide Impact On Society

Agustín de Iturbide was a Mexican military leader who became the self-proclaimed emperor of Mexico in the early 19th century. While he is often credited with achieving Mexican independence from Spain, his reign as emperor was short-lived. While Iturbide is revered by some as a hero of Mexican independence, his legacy is marred by his self-interested actions and policies, which ultimately harmed the country and its people. Iturbide’s overall effect on Mexico was negative because even after declaring independence for Mexico, he operated a tyrannical monarchy, chased power for personal benefit, and greatly injured economic and social development within Mexico.

One of Iturbide's most significant negative aspects was the tyrannical monarchy he

“Iturbide saw that it was going to be challenging to defeat Guerrero. For this reason, instead of fighting against him, he joined the independence cause.” This means that Iturbide saw the power struggle between Mexican revolutionaries and the Spanish enforcers. Once he had seen this he left the side losing traction and joined the side gaining the advantage. This shows that Iturbide's motivations were less about patriotism and more about personal gain. One of the main reasons Iturbide is viewed negatively is his betrayal of the Mexican independence movement standards. Iturbide promised independence but never truly delivered on his word. Not only was Iturbide's conversion to the independence movement motivated by his own ambition rather than a genuine commitment to democracy and freedom, but after defeating the Spanish forces and gaining power, he quickly abandoned his promises of freedom to the people of Mexico. In February 1822, Iturbide published the Plan of Iguala, which called for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Mexico, with Iturbide as emperor. The plan was successful, and Iturbide was crowned emperor of Mexico on July 21, 1822. “Instead he negotiated with Guerrero and announced the Plan de Iguala in February 1821. There would be a limited monarchy. But once he became

His attempts to centralize power led to increased tensions between different regions of the country. Additionally, Iturbide's decision to abolish the Mexican Congress and replace it with a council of advisors loyal to him was a blatant disregard for democratic principles. “On October 31, 1822, Iturbide dissolved Congress and replaced it with a sympathetic junta.” This means that, not only did Iturbide dissolve the last “democratic” governmental body in all Mexico, but he also put people under his command into a new body of power which seemed democratic to the average mexican citizen. He purposely tricked his people knowing it would benefit him over his subjects. This effectively silenced the voices of Mexican citizens and prevented any meaningful opposition to his rule. Iturbide's economic policies were also detrimental to Mexico's long-term development. He pursued policies that supressed production and innovation within Mexico, leading to high prices and shortages of basic goods. Moreover, he engaged in various economic schemes that enriched himself and his associates at the expense of the Mexican people. This, coupled with his profligate spending on the military and lavish displays of wealth, left Mexico's economy in a precarious state. “An arbitrary and extravagant ruler, he proved unable to bring order and stability to his country” This means that throughout his time as Mexico’s first