Confronted by the devaluation of the peso and government revenue, Cardenas found it politically expedient to seek consensus from former adversaries. With the oil nationalization and the negative effect on international trade, the immediate loss of 20% to the Mexican economy was devastating. In order to consolidate and preserve his power, Cardenas pulled back on his full control populist agenda. Without strong economic growth, there was no wealth to redistribute. On September 1, 1939, the invasion of Poland by Germany provided an opportunity for both the national interest as Cardenas looked toward nationalization and the opportunity for Mexican businesses to prosper. The industrialization of Mexico brought prosperity, and businesses doubled
