International School of Philosophy and Letters
Mexico, D. F.
Mexico City Today: Political, Social Volcano
reprint of 1968 new analysis by Tom Blaise Shepherd
Alumni
Bulletin
Tom Blaise Shepherd
Publisher
The Mexican government encouraged American, British and Dutch entrepreneurs to develop the oil and mining industries of Mexico. However, in March 1938, Mexico seized the assets of 17 legally established, foreign-owned oil corporations, based in Mexico, prompting a boycott of Mexican oil. Thus, during World War II, Mexico sold its oil to Nazi Germany. Mexico, in effect, fueled World War II.
A History of Foreign Investments in Mexico
By Dr. Thomas Mitchell
Blaise Shepherd
My grandparents and parents, American citizens, were
residents of the City of Guanajuato in the State of Guanajuato, where they
founded and operated El Cedro Silver Mining company in 1936. They brought with
them technical knowledge, energy and working capital, with which they purchased
supplies from established Mexican companies in the area. They thus became
contributing members of the Mexico’s economic base.
Whereas Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas encouraged
my family to settle in Mexico and profided them with inimigrado papers
(permanent residency status as business owners and operators), he later (March
1938) did an about face and expropriated the assets of 17 legally based
American, British and Dutch founded petroleum companies, including Standard Oil
of Mexico. He also sought to cripple newly-established foreign-owned and
operated mining companies in his effort to drive out foreign capitalists and
nationalize the petroleum industry and the mining industry.
In response to Cardena’s actions, a worldwide
boycott of Mexican oil was enforced, during which time Mexico began selling its
oil to Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II. As a result, Cardenas
created dissention between foreign entrepreneurs and the Mexican people. He
also created widespread mistrust of the Mexican government.
A lengthy and violent miner’s strike ensued, which
shut down the operations of El Cedro and other American mining concerns for
months. During the strike, my older infant brother, who was born in Mexico in
1937, and my mother, then pregnant with me, were evacuated from Guanajuato for
their safety. I was born several months later (November 1938) in Joplin,
Missouri. Due to the losses they incurred
during the lengthy strike, my grandparents and my father were thereby forced to
liquidate the company that they had built from scratch.
The Phenomenon of Lazaro Cardenas
I was born and reared in Joplin, Missouri, where my
grandparents owned and operated a mining company and founded and operated an
interurban bus line and a plow factory, prior to my birth.
Following the completion of my secondary education
in the State of Missouri, where I was selected by my teachers to be a delegate to
Missouri Boys State, I enrolled as a student at the International School of
Philosophy and Letters of Universidad Nacional Autónomo in Mexico City in 1956.
One of my first and most interesting classes was The History of Foreign
Investments in Mexico.
I learned that Mexico has had a history of very
aggressively attempting to attract foreign capital, foreign technology and
foreign entrepreneurs. Once a foreigner has established a business and a life
in Mexico, he has his business and property confiscated by the Mexican
government, which reserves for itself a 51% controlling interest in any
corporation that receives financing by the Bank of Mexico. Is it any wonder
people do not trust the Mexican government or the Mexican people?
I am also an alumnus of the University of Oklahoma,
from where I received a bachelor’s degree and continued my studies in
journalism, sociology, political science and regional and city planning at the
Graduate College of University of Oklahoma.
While enrolled in a class titled The Sociology of
Latin America, I was informed by Professor Fred Silberstein that he was
mandated by higher ups to GIVE a foreign student a grade on his transcript
higher than he actually EARNED in the class. For instance, if a foreign citizen
(from any nation) earned a B, he was GIVEN an A on his transcript. If an
American earned a B, he received a B on his transcript.
Because of the unfair Anti-American grading policy
endorsed by Oklahoma’s Board of Regents and because of the refusal of OU
President John Holloman and OU Vice President Verne Kennedy to take action to
change the policy, I withdrew from the Graduate College of the University of
Oklahoma with a B average. I have since founded the Shepherd-Montessori
Institute, of which I am Chancellor.
I realized I had not only been betrayed by the
Mexican government. I had also been betrayed by the American government, where
I served in the Marine Corps Reserve and the United States Coast Guard during
my youth.
Dr. Thomas Mitchell Blaise
Shepherd
Mexico City
Today: Political, Social Volcano
A 1968
Political Analysis
by Tom Blaise
de Shepherd
http://www.surfingman10.org/mexicocity1968b.html
National
Autonomous University of Mexico
Mexico, D.F.
http://www.unam.mx/