Actions concerned with the acquisition or exercise of power, status, or authority*

Acciones relacionadas con la adquisición o uso de poder, estatua, o autoridad

*(Definition from the Oxford English Dictionary)

Our individual pages  focus on individual aspects of politics- Click on the picture on the left to learn more about Jewish politics, and click on the picture on the right to learn more about mexican politics. Enjoy!

Zapatista National Liberation Army Magazine Cover

Meyer London & car strikers speaking to crowd from a balcony.

Jewish immigrant politics were greatly impacted by the social conditions in both Eastern Europe and the Lower East Side. Similarly, Mexicans have formed political coalitions based on affairs in Mexico and on the conditions they faced when migrating to America. Notable revolutions have also played a major role for both Jews and Mexicans in deciding political positions. In Eastern Europe, Jews were influenced by the growing Russian revolutionary movement, but at the same time realized that they had to escape the extreme anti-Semitism in order to be liberated. The Mexican Revolution on the other hand helped bring along structure to Mexican government. Though defined political parties began to form, disorder and rebellions still exist.

The majority of Jewish immigrants were involved in labor movements and various forms of liberal politics including anarchism, socialism, democratic socialism, and communism. Major issues faced by Mexicans back home also include labor. In addition, Mexicans question capitalistic views and suffer discrimination in the United States. Although in the beginning Russian was considered the most intellectual and political language, in America most Eastern European Jews spoke Yiddish and so it became a political language and culture of its own. Though in Mexico language is not a barrier, many immigrants are faced with this issue upon coming to America.

Eastern European Jews and Mexicans have very distinct histories. However, in analyzing both groups closely we are able to see connections and similarities that may not be apparent at first glance.

–Ana & Diana