Zapatismo’s 30th anniversary¶
I just read Zapatismo at 30: An Indigenous Rights Movement Faces Perilous Times. Their seven principles of “obeying by following,”, stood out for me (further described in English here):
- To obey, not command
- To propose, not impose
- To represent, not supplant
- To convince, not conquer
- To construct, not destroy
- To serve others, not serve oneself
- To work from below, not seek to rise
Despite the rise of the political left in Mexico, the Zapatistas face significant challenges today from drug cartels and displacement.
I found the article particularly useful in describing what the Zapatistas have accomplished locally and what they have inspired internationally.