Abstract
Freemasonry in its myriad varieties has been a strong force in Mexico since the time of the wars for independence from Spain of the 1820s. Given its highly secretive and cabalistic nature, scholarship and research on its effects on Mexican society have been severely limited. One overlooked possibility is that in a society where educational opportunities were restricted by economics and by social caste, local lodges afforded some young Mexicans with political aspirations the chance to sharpen their rhetorical and organizational abilities. The close connection between a number of Mexican presidents and the Masonic movement may illustrate that.
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