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Cultural Wars and New Technologies: The Discourse of Plant Breeding and the Professionalisation of Mexican Agronomy, 1880-1994

Department of History and Anthropology, Augusta State University, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA, 30904, USA

This article traces the evolution of the 'discourse of plant breeding' through four periods of Mexico's history: The Age of Liberalism (1880-1910), the era of revolution and reform (1910-40), the 'Economic Miracle' (1940-68) and the crisis of the revolution (1968-94). The development of plant breeding played a critical role in the professionalisation of Mexi can agronomy, and reflected larger changes in the Mexican political system, society and economy. Mexico's agronomists took advantage of political changes to establish and cement an alliance with the state and used it to advance the interests of their profession. The agronomists' struggled to find a place in society during the Age of Liberalism and finally obtained limited assistance from the state by offering to advance its economic pro ject. The Mexican Revolution (1910-20) gave them an opportunity to serve the state's political agenda by participating in its land reform and cultural programmes. During the 1940s and afterwards the agronomists maintained their alliance with the state by becom ing plant breeders and producing the Green Revolution, which contributed to the Eco nomic Miracle and deflected criticism of the land reform. Lastly, I evaluate the impact of the crisis of the revolution on Mexican agronomy and consider how the agronomists' path to professionalisation affected Mexico's agricultural development.

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