Jose Vasconcelos wrote this reading, which can be classified as a thought-piece, in 1925. It is possible that he wrote this in an attempt to persuade the literate masses in Mexico about the superiority of the “fifth race”, inciting a nationalistic fervor, and rallying supporters for his 1928 presidential campaign.

This essay elaborates on how to gain access to the fifth and superior race. Forced marriages and dominance must be left behind, and we must open up to love and choice in order to create a more beautiful, educated and liberal race. The Americas are the new “promised lands,” and we must accept each other in order to be worthy of such gifts. Advancements in technology have debunked the notion that their must be one, superior and dominant race. There are three levels to society: militaristic, which would be won by the Anglos; rational, which would be won by the “Malays”; and aestheticism, which is the best way to live, and would be dominated by the mestizos.

Vasconcelos contradicts himself. He preaches loving thy neighbor and accepting the positive characteristics of other races, but proceeds to denigrate the poor, the uneducated, and the physically unappealing people. He claims the fifth race will be superior because all of these “negative traits” will die out, because these people would not be able to procreate. He is blaming genes for poverty and illiteracy when these are institutional failings.

Do you think these stereotypical positive and negative characteristics of different races are reliable?

Do you believe peace could be attained through this cosmic race?

Does this race sound more like the “whitening” of already existing cultures?