Gold shirts
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Mexicanist Action , better known as the Gold shirts , was a Mexican
fascist
paramilitary organization in the 1930s.
The group was founded by general Nicolás Rodríguez Carrasco
in 1933 with the official title of Acción Revolucionaria Mexicana (Mexican Revolutionary Action). Carrasco, who had been a supporter of Pancho Villa
until he deserted in 1918, named the group after the dorados, Villa's "golden" group of elite soldiers. The Gold shirts opposed the reforms of president Lázaro Cárdenas
and were protected by former president Plutarco Elías Calles
, who had become an enemy of Cárdenas. The Gold Shirts often violently clashed with supporters of the Mexican Communist Party
and the Red Shirts
and demanded the immediate deportation of all Jews
and Chinese
from Mexico. Although the dorados copied their style from the Blackshirts
and Sturmabteilung
, copying the anti-communism
and authoritarianism
of the former and the anti-Semitism
of the latter, they nonetheless lacked the fascist mission, being essentially (according to Fascism expert Payne) counterrevolutionary
and reactionary
and as such were more easily employed by the existing state.
During the Maximato era of the formerly heavily anticlerical Calles regime, the Gold shirts were moderately in favour of religious liberty for the Catholic Church but because they still at times acted in an anticlericalist way against priests wearing the cassock
), Cristeros never entered their ranks.
After Calles was deported by Cárdenas on April 9, 1936, the group lost its protector. A few months later, Rodríguez was arrested and deported to Texas
in August 1936, from where he continued to lead the group until his death in 1940. After Mexico's declaration of war upon the axis powers
on May 22, 1942, the Gold shirts were banned.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
paramilitary organization in the 1930s.
The group was founded by general Nicolás Rodríguez Carrasco
Nicolás Rodríguez Carrasco
Nicolás Rodríguez Carrasco was a Mexican general and fascist.During the Mexican Revolution Rodríguez fought alongside Pancho Villa. He managed to become brigadier general but deserted in 1918. After the revolution he moved to the right and joined several racist, antisemitic and antisinist...
in 1933 with the official title of Acción Revolucionaria Mexicana (Mexican Revolutionary Action). Carrasco, who had been a supporter of Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
until he deserted in 1918, named the group after the dorados, Villa's "golden" group of elite soldiers. The Gold shirts opposed the reforms of president Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
and were protected by former president Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles was a Mexican general and politician. He was president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928, but he continued to be the de facto ruler from 1928–1935, a period known as the maximato...
, who had become an enemy of Cárdenas. The Gold Shirts often violently clashed with supporters of the Mexican Communist Party
Mexican Communist Party
The Mexican Communist Party was a communist party in Mexico. It was founded in 1911 as the Socialist Workers' Party by Manabendra Nath Roy, a left-wing Indian intellectual. The PSO changed its name to the Mexican Communist Party in November 1919 following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia...
and the Red Shirts
Red Shirts (Mexico)
The Red Shirts were a paramilitary organization, existing in the 1930s, founded by the virulently anti-Catholic, atheist and anticlerical Governor of Tabasco, Mexico, Tomás Garrido Canabal during his second term. As part of their attempt to destroy the Church, they systematically destroyed...
and demanded the immediate deportation of all Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
from Mexico. Although the dorados copied their style from the Blackshirts
Blackshirts
The Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
and Sturmabteilung
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
, copying the anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
and authoritarianism
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
of the former and the anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
of the latter, they nonetheless lacked the fascist mission, being essentially (according to Fascism expert Payne) counterrevolutionary
Counterrevolutionary
A counter-revolutionary is anyone who opposes a revolution, particularly those who act after a revolution to try to overturn or reverse it, in full or in part...
and reactionary
Reactionary
The term reactionary refers to viewpoints that seek to return to a previous state in a society. The term is meant to describe one end of a political spectrum whose opposite pole is "radical". While it has not been generally considered a term of praise it has been adopted as a self-description by...
and as such were more easily employed by the existing state.
During the Maximato era of the formerly heavily anticlerical Calles regime, the Gold shirts were moderately in favour of religious liberty for the Catholic Church but because they still at times acted in an anticlericalist way against priests wearing the cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
), Cristeros never entered their ranks.
After Calles was deported by Cárdenas on April 9, 1936, the group lost its protector. A few months later, Rodríguez was arrested and deported to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in August 1936, from where he continued to lead the group until his death in 1940. After Mexico's declaration of war upon the axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
on May 22, 1942, the Gold shirts were banned.