The Mexican Revolution was instrumental in aiding the beginning of the Mexican muralist movement because of a major power shift from the elite to the average Mexican citizen. Prior to the Revolution, the vast majority of power was divided among a small elite group of intellectuals known as the Cientificos. Following the Revolution, the power was redistributed among the Mexican people, thus empowering the masses. This gave the average Mexican person pride in their country again. Consequently, the Mexican muralist movement fed of this enhanced sense of nationalism re-embedded in each Mexican citizen. Dr. Atl pioneered the idea of painting with nationalistic undertones, which he imparted on to “Los Tres Grandes”. In turn, these three painted the famous murals we have studied with the theme of nationalism in mind.

 

This relates to The Underdogs because Demetrio and his guerrilla army are fighting to gain power against the corrupt and foreign government. Demetrio is essentially fighting for his country back, which obviously is based on nationalism. The Cientificos and other powerful Europeans abused their power, and this bottom up movement that started with peasant farmers, is all about empowering the lower class and recreating a sense of nationalism within the Mexican people.