17941876, Mexican general and politician. He fought in the royalist army, but later joined Iturbide in the struggle that won independence for Mexico (1821).
Santa Anna then entered upon a long and tortuous political career. His actions were governed by opportunism rather than by any fixed principle, and he shifted his allegiance from party to party, his fortunes rising and falling with bewildering rapidity. He led the revolution against Iturbide (1823); aided, then revolted against, Vicente Guerrero; and turned against Anastasio Bustamante after helping him to power. His victory over the Spanish when Guerrero was in power gained for him a popularity which he turned into political capital; he was ever afterward the hero of Tampico. Elected president for a term beginning in 1833, he struggled with the vice president for power and established himself as a reactionary dictator in 1834.
He went to Texas to crush the revolution there and became a sort of ogre in American eyes because of the slaughter at the Alamo and the brutality of the massacre at Goliad, which was carried out under his orders. His defeat and capture by Samuel Houston at San Jacinto (1836) put a temporary halt to his political career in Mexico, but his shrewd political sense, aided by the accident of losing a leg in an attempt to repulse the French at Veracruz (1838), restored his prestige. Driven from power after a wasteful, corrupt presidential administration (184144), he returned from exilewith U.S. aid apparentlyand again became president (184647).
The Essay on United States Power President India
... hereditary succession nor favors are acceptable as arbiters of political power in a civilized society. Throughout most of our ancient ... President is the head. The constitution and the political system of United States of America is well organized more reform has more power ... with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President. The President is elected by members of an Electoral College ...
He commanded in the Mexican War, but his defeats at Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, and Puebla and the loss of Mexico City sent him again into exile. He returned and ruled (after Dec., 1853) as perpetual dictator until the revolution of Ayutla again drove him into exile (1855) and brought Benito Jurez to the fore. After several attempts, he was allowed to return to Mexico (1874
