CHAPTER 10
Mexico
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.
Which of the following BEST describes Mexico’s geography?
a. Although the interior is mostly desert, the country has many miles of coast land.
b. Mexico’s mostly level terrain makes large-scale agriculture relatively easy.
c. Mexico has few resources.
d. Mexico is bisected by a transcontinental river.
e. Mexico is a geographically diverse country rich in natural resources.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
2.
The term mestizo refers to people
a. of mixed Amerindian and Spanish descent.
b. who are half American and half Mexican.
c. who emigrate from Mexico to America.
d. who live in Mexico but come from elsewhere in Central America.
e. descended from Mayan Indians.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
3.
A
436, 437
F
Which of the following is TRUE?
a. Amerindians comprise the largest group in Mexico.
b. The largest indigenous group in Mexico are the Aztecs.
c. Although about 30 percent of Mexicans claim Amerindian descent, only about 6 percent speak an
indigenous language other than Spanish.
d. One of the country’s largest indigenous groups, the Maya, live primarily in the central regions of
Mexico.
e. None of the above statements is true.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
4.
E
436
F
C
436, 437
F
In its history, Mexico has been invaded by
a. Spain.
b. France.
c. the United States.
d. all of the above.
e. none of the above.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
437–439
F
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132
5.
Chapter 10: Mexico
Assembly factories located in the northern states of Mexico are called
a. Ejidatorios.
b. Maquiladores.
c. Barrios
d. Mestizos.
e. Missions.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
6.
The person who liberated Mexico from France was
a. Benito Juarez.
b. Che Guevara.
c. Simon Bolivar.
d. Miguel Hildago.
e. Pancho Villa.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
7.
B
439–441
F
Emiliano Zapata’s plan for agrarian reform, which became a cornerstone of the 1917 Constitution, was called
the Plan de ______________.
a. Cientificos
b. Ejidatorios
c. Tierra
d. Ayala
e. Zapata
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
9.
A
439
F
The Porfiriato was the period of
a. revolution in which General Porfirio gained independence from Spain.
b. authoritarian rule by Porfirio Díaz in which he copied European values and technologies and closed off
opportunities for large numbers of the middle and upper class.
c. a period of civil war, resulting in the separation of the country into northern and southern regions.
d. the period in which the United States military occupied key cities in Mexico.
e. rule by Porfirio Díaz in which he established democratic institutions which were later dismantled.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
8.
B
451
F
D
440
F
Which of the following progressive social measures was NOT included in the Mexican Constitution of 1917?
a. The right to a free secular education
b. Minimum wage and an eight-hour workday for workers
c. Women’s suffrage
d. A social security system
e. Agrarian reform
ANS:
REF:
C
441
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Chapter 10: Mexico
NOT:
133
A
10. Which of the following was a result of the Mexican Revolution of 1910?
a. The power of rural landowners was undercut.
b. The influence of the Catholic Church was severely curtailed.
c. The power of foreign investors was severely limited.
d. The foundation was laid for a strong central government.
e. All of the above are results of the revolution.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
441
A
11. Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas is best remembered for his
a. redistribution of land to small farmers.
b. repression of student activists.
c. forging of a close relationship with the United States.
d. support for free trade and open markets.
e. refusal to step down after losing re-election.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
441, 442
A
12. Clientelism
a. refers to an informal system in which a powerful patron offers resources in return for the support of
lower-status and less powerful clients.
b. tends to be characterized by corruption and preferential treatment.
c. reoriented Mexico’s development away from the egalitarian goals towards a strategy in which the
actively encouraged industrialization and the accumulation of wealth.
d. helped to build loyalty to the PRI.
e. All of the above statements are true.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
442
A
13. The period 1982–2000 saw all of the following occur EXCEPT
a. extensive oil reserves were discovered in the Gulf of Mexico allowing the government to invest heavily
in the economy.
b. Mexico became more fully integrated into the world economy due to government shifts in its
development policies.
c. the PRI lost its absolute majority in the Chamber of Deputies.
d. a guerrilla army, the Zapista Army of National Liberation, became active demanding land, indigenous
rights and the repeal of NAFTA.
e. All of the above occurred during this period.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
441–443
A
14. How did Presidents de la Madrid and Salinas confront the economic crisis of the 1980s?
a. By borrowing against expected future income from oil exports
b. By recommitting the country to the previously successful import-substitution industrialization model of
economic development
c. By opening Mexican markets to foreign trade and by limiting the role of government in the economy
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
134
Chapter 10: Mexico
d.
e.
By opening Mexican markets to foreign trade and nationalizing key industries
By imposing new taxes to boost government revenue
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
442, 443
A
15. President Fox found it difficult to enact his domestic agenda because
a. he lacked popular support.
b. he lacked the compliant congressional majority that his predecessors had enjoyed.
c. ongoing economic difficulties distracted the administration often forcing it to pursue policies at odds
with the president’s agenda.
d. his advisors were severely divided over what the administration’s priorities should be.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
443
A
16. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
a. The fact that Mexico is oil-rich provides it with a ready source of revenue while also making the country
very vulnerable to changes in international oil prices.
b. The fact that Mexico is oil rich helps to explain why the country has a higher per capita income than
most other developing countries.
c. Substantial oil revenue in the 1970s allowed the government to embark upon an extensive program of
public investment that helped to stem off an emerging economic crisis.
d. Mexico’s economic profile resembles that of other developing countries which also have extensive oil
reserves such as Brazil and South Africa.
e. The way the country has promoted economic growth and industrialization is important in explaining why
widespread poverty has persisted and why political power is not more equitably distributed.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
442, 445
A
17. After the Revolution of 1910, Mexico established a corporatist state in which interest groups became an
institutionalized part of state structure. This had all of the following effects EXCEPT
a. the state took the lead in defining the country’s development.
b. the state was able to inculcate within the population a broad sense of its legitimacy through institutions
like the party, the media and the school system.
c. the state had extensive resources at its disposal to co-opt dissent and purchase political loyalty from key
societal groups.
d. the extent to which Mexican citizens belonged to civic society groups, like unions and community
organizations, was minimal.
e. the scope for challenging the state was limited.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
444, 445
C
18. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
a. Throughout much of the twentieth century, Mexico pursued a policy of import substitution
industrialization whereby the government encouraged the domestic manufacture of previously imported
goods to satisfy the demands of its domestic market.
b. Throughout much of the twentieth century, Mexico encouraged a policy known as state capitalism in
which there was a massive government ownership of key industries and a centralized planning system.
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
Chapter 10: Mexico
c.
d.
e.
135
Throughout much of the twentieth century, Mexico pursued a policy known as state capitalism in which
the government, rather than private individuals, owned all of the means of production.
Throughout much of the twentieth century, Mexico pursued a policy relied upon the export of raw
materials such as cocoa, cattle, silver and gold.
Throughout much of the twentieth century, Mexico pursued laissez-faire economic policies under which
the government’s involvement in economic affairs was kept to a minimum.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
447, 448
A
19. The Mexican Miracle of the 1950s and 1960s refers to
a. the elimination of the military’s influence over politics during this period.
b. the rapid economic growth and industrialization of the country during this period.
c. the country’s rapid progress towards a more equitable distribution of income during this period.
d. the country’s ability to dominate the Central American economy even more so than the United States
during this period.
e. the impressive political stability of the country during this period.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
447, 448
C
20. Import substitution industrialization had which of the following effects?
a. It achieved rapid economic growth.
b. Industries that received government subsidies had less incentive to produce efficiently.
c. Particular groups—such as business elites and labor leaders—gained substantial access to the
government because of their importance in this scheme of development.
d. Large, commercially-oriented farmers emerged to dominate the agricultural economy.
e. All of the above were effects of import substitution industrialization.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
447–449
A
21. Which of the following groups were hurt by import substitution industrialization?
a. The urban poor
b. Peasant farmers
c. Workers in the informal sector of the economy
d. Foreign competition
e. All of the above groups were hurt by import substitution industrialization.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
448, 449
A
22. The discovery of large oil reserves in the 1970s
a. allowed the government to embark upon substantial investment programs in virtually all sectors of the
economy.
b. allowed the government to finance initiatives to reduce poverty and deal with declining agricultural
production.
c. allowed the government to address, at least initially, some of the problems brought about by import
substitution industrialization.
d. meant that oil grew dramatically as a percentage of the country’s export, which in turn meant that the
country became increasingly vulnerable to international economic changes such as decreases in demand
for oil and changes in international oil prices.
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136
Chapter 10: Mexico
e.
All of the above were a result of the discovery of large oil reserves in the 1970s.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
449, 450
A
23. Why were the 1985 earthquakes in Mexico City a watershed in Mexican politics?
a. Groups learned that they could solve their problems better without government than with it.
b. Armed militias who challenged the legitimacy of the government emerged.
c. The swift and efficient response of the government reinforced the legitimacy of the PRI.
d. The massive relief efforts of the United States helped to ease the tensions between the two states.
e. All of the above statements are true.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
458
A
24. Between 1988 and 1994, PRI presidents introduced a series of reforms to liberalize the economy and thus end
the country’s traditional import substitution industrialization policy. Which of the following was NOT such a
reform?
a. Privatizing the oil industry
b. Deregulation that made the private sector less reason to seek special favors from the government
c. A constitutional change that permitted ejidoritos to become owners of individual plots of land
d. Delegating more authority and resources to state and local governments
e. All of the above are examples of such reforms.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
450
A
25. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. While the overall quality of life and standard of living have increased in Mexico since the 1940s,
inequality in wealth distribution has increased during this period.
b. In terms of standard measures of social development, Mexico fell behind many Latin American countries
that also developed in the period after 1940.
c. Despite rapid industrialization and urbanization, Mexico has largely been successful in addressing
environmental problems that typically accompany these phenomena.
d. One of the greatest achievements of Mexico’s economic development has been the development of a
large middle class.
e. Mexico City is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and in some rural areas oil exploitation left
devastating environmental damage.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
450, 451
A
26. The northern areas of the country are more economically advanced than the southern regions because of all of
the following EXCEPT
a. the presence of maquiladores that supply jobs.
b. government programs that favor these areas.
c. the proximity to the United States.
d. large commercialized farms with extensive transportation networks.
e. large industrialized cities.
ANS:
REF:
B
451
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Chapter 10: Mexico
NOT:
137
A
27. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
a. Until the 1960s, the U.S. government maintained a program that allowed Mexican workers to migrate
and enter the country in order to provide seasonal labor for U.S. employers.
b. Remittances—money sent back to Mexico from migrant workers abroad—are of critical importance to
the Mexican economy.
c. Communities of Mexican migrants have been and continue to be mainly in California and Texas.
d. Generally, the U.S. government maintained an informal policy of tolerating the employment of
undocumented Mexican workers until the 1980s.
e. In 2005, Mexico approved a system under which registered Mexicans living abroad could participate in
federal elections.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
452
A
28. Which of the following is NOT true of NAFTA as it relates to Mexico?
a. The reduction of trade barriers has led to a more evenly balanced trade between Mexico and the United
States.
b. Domestic farmers worry about competition from American farmers.
c. It has meant that the fate of the Mexican economy has become increasingly tied to the American
economy.
d. It has led to fears of “cultural imperialism” as American movies, fashion styles and lifestyles
increasingly permeate Mexican society.
e. All of the above are true of NAFTA as it relates to Mexico.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
442, 443
A
29. The Mexican Constitution
a. establishes three branches of government each with separate powers.
b. contains guarantees for a wide range of rights including familiar ones like the freedom of speech as well
as economic and social rights such as the right to a job.
c. can be easily amended.
d. is quite long.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
REF.
NOT:
E
454
F
30. How are members of the Chamber of Deputies elected?
a. In first-past-the-post elections in individual districts
b. Through a system of proportional representation
c. As representatives from specific sectors in Mexican society
d. Through a combination of proportional representation and simple majority
e. Through appointment by the president
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
454
F
31. The president is elected for
a. one non-renewable four-year term.
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138
Chapter 10: Mexico
b.
c.
d.
e.
unlimited renewable terms of six years.
unlimited renewable terms of three years.
one non-renewable six-year term
a six-year term which may be renewed only once.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
455
F
32. The members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected every ______________ years whereas the members of
the Senate are elected every ______________ years.
a. 3; 3
b. 3; 4
c. 3; 2
d. 3; 6
e. 6; 6
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
454
F
33. During the period of PRI dominance, the party’s presidential candidate was selected
a. through a primary election process.
b. through consultation with the important organizations that represented different segments of Mexican
society.
c. through a caucus of party leaders.
d. by a majority of state governors.
e. through a decision made by the outgoing president.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
455
F
34. Formal powers of the Mexican president include
a. initiating legislation.
b. creating government agencies.
c. making policy through decree.
d. appointing public officials.
e. The Mexican president has all of the above formal powers.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
455
F
35. During the period of PRI dominance, Mexican presidents generally had what kind of background?
a. They had served in the cabinets of their predecessors.
b. They were military officers.
c. They were lawyers.
d. They were former state governors.
e. They had served in Congress.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
456
F
36. Which of the following is NOT true?
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Chapter 10: Mexico
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
139
During the years of PRI dominance, only in rare cases did the president select nonparty members to serve
in the cabinet.
During the period of PRI dominance, the president exclusively selected his cabinet in a way that reflected
not his personal choices but rather the need to maintain the balance of power between various groups in
the party.
Few women have been selected for ministry-level posts.
During the period of PRI dominance, the president generally appointed those with whom he had worked
closely over the years.
Although Fox preferred technocrats with little political experience, Calderón filled his cabinet with longtime members of the PAN who have a longer history of political engagement.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
456
F
37. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. The president’s authority to appoint high-level officials allows him to give direct policy direction.
b. The sheer number of positions that the president is able to appoint means that there is a high turnover that
typically results in slow progress on the president’s agenda in his first year.
c. The president’s authority to make appointments has been severely diminished since the fall of the PRI as
a means of making the policy-making process more democratic.
d. The president has the power to appoint not only members of the cabinet but also other high-level
officials.
e. While under the PRI, the presidential power to make appointments helped to guarantee the president’s
ability to manage the workings of the executive branch. This has not been the case under the PAN.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
456
A
38. Which of the following is TRUE?
a. Although officials at lower levels of bureaucracy are ensured job security by legislation, those at the
middle and upper levels serve only so long as their bosses have confidence in them.
b. The bulk of the federal bureaucracy work in Mexico City.
c. The size of the federal bureaucracy is roughly equal to the size of the bureaucracies of state and local
governments.
d. Officials at the lower levels of bureaucracy are unionized.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
456
A
39. Semiautonomous or autonomous government agencies that produce goods and services are called
a. Ejidatorios.
b. Maquiladores.
c. Cietificos.
d. Parastatals.
e. Porfiriatos.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
457
F
40. Which of the following is NOT true?
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140
Chapter 10: Mexico
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The development of the parastatal sector came about in large part because of the government’s
development policies after 1940.
The parastatal sector has generally grown smaller since the 1980s.
Some core components of the parastatal sector will likely remain in government hands for the
foreseeable future.
The parastatal sector has traditionally been limited to key industries such as heavy manufacturing and
petroleum production.
There exists an influential bloc of nationalists who view public ownership of key industries symbolically
important.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
457
A
41. Which of the following is TRUE of the military in Mexico?
a. It has engaged in military coups quite regularly throughout the country’s history.
b. There is little evidence to suggest that it has engaged in torture, illegal killings, and other forms of
repression.
c. It has increasingly been used to help fight drug trafficking.
d. It has never had institutional representation in any political party.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
458, 459
A
42. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
a. As state laws have become more expansive, state courts have increasingly become important.
b. From the presidency of Zedillo onward, courts have been increasing their independence from the
executive.
c. Constitutional amendments that call for the introduction of public trials with oral testimony and the
presumption of innocence have been introduced although their implementation has been slow.
d. Human rights groups and the media have put pressure on the courts to play a stronger role than has
traditionally been the case.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
459
A
43. Which of the following is NOT true of state and municipal governments in Mexico?
a. Most municipal governments tend to rely upon funds from the central government.
b. They suffer from the lack of well-paid and well-trained public officials.
c. Many jobs at these levels are distributed through political patronage.
d. State and local governments have always had a substantial level of authority in the Mexican federal
system although they have had difficulties in exercising this power.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
460
A
44. An indication of the changing role of state and local governments is that
a. the practice of political patronage has virtually come to an end at these levels.
b. governors and mayors have openly accepted new powers and responsibilities devolved from the central
government.
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Chapter 10: Mexico
c.
d.
e.
141
both levels have become foci of authentic party competition.
state and municipal governments have been granted increased authority to raise their own revenue.
All of the above are indications of the changing role of state and local governments.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
460
A
45. In terms of its impact on the policy-making process, the sexenio
a. allows the president to introduce extensive changes upon coming to office.
b. makes innovation just as likely as discontinuity.
c. makes it possible to see tremendous policy shifts even during a period of party hegemony as was the case
when the PRI was dominant.
d. provides the president with a group of middle and high level officials who share his general policy
orientation and are motivated to follow his lead.
e. All of the above have an impact on the policy-making process.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
460
A
46. Historically, Mexican citizens interacted with their government through
a. the personal and informal mechanisms of clientelism.
b. their membership in large-scale interest groups, which in turn competed with one another to influence
government policy.
c. the formal mechanisms provided by the constitution, most notably elections.
d. direct contact with their governmental representatives, especially the deputy who represented their
district.
e. highly organized political unrest and protest activity.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
462
A
47. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. With the PRI’s loss of its stranglehold on the congress and the presidency, the congress has become a
more active player in the policy-making process by blocking and forcing the negotiation of legislation.
b. Cost of greater power sharing between the executive and the legislature has been a slow-down in the
policy-making process.
c. Since the 1990s, it has become rather common for one party to hold the presidency and another to hold
the congress.
d. When PRI dominated the country’s politics, representatives in congress who disapproved of the
president’s agenda would nevertheless approve them realizing that implementation was flexible and thus
allowed them to disregard measures and bend the rules.
e. The rise of the congress as an active player in the policy-making process has meant that the president has
had to negotiate with it in order to achieve his desired policy goals.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
462, 463
A
48. Which of the following was NOT a measure adopted to make it easier for political parties to participate
politically?
a. The creation of an independent electoral commission
b. The establishment of public financing for all parties
c. Guaranteed access to the media for all parties
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
142
Chapter 10: Mexico
d.
e.
The imposition of term limits
Electoral reform laws dealing with campaign financing
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
464
A
49. The PRI was founded by a coalition of political elites who believed that
a. it was better to work out their differences through a system of compromise rather than resorting to
violence.
b. uniting all classes under the control of one mass party would prevent the spread of communism to
Mexico.
c. a mass party was necessary to confront the political influence of the Catholic Church.
d. the promotion of agrarian reform and the rights of workers was necessary if Mexico wanted to develop
economically.
e. The formation of a mass party was necessary to achieve social justice.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
464
F
50. The PRI historically was organized in a corporatist fashion in which the interests of certain social groups
were represented through national organizations. Which of the following was NOT a group that was
represented in the party’s structure?
a. Labor
b. Peasants
c. The Catholic Church
d. The military
e. The popular sector
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
464–466
F
51. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. Within its corporatist structure, the PRI functioned through extended networks that distributed public
resources to lower level activists who controlled votes at the local level.
b. Power within the PRI was highly decentralized allowing each of the sector organizations to respond
mainly to its members’ interests.
c. The organization and activity of the PRI encouraged the development of patron-client relations as those
with ambitions for public office would seek to form networks of supporters from above (patrons), to
whom they delivered votes, and supporters from below (clients), to whom the delivered public resources.
d. Over time, the corporate interest groups within the PRI came to be identified with corruption, bossism,
and the lack of effective participation.
e. For well over half a century, the PRI’s system of trading public resources for political allegiance worked
remarkably well as indicated by the fact that PRI candidates regularly won by significant majorities.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
464–466
A
52. The PAN has drawn most of its political support from
a. the Gulf coast.
b. the southern states.
c. the northern states.
d. the rural countryside.
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Chapter 10: Mexico
e.
143
the Mexico City area.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
C
466
F
53. The PAN has traditionally run on a platform that includes
a. greater regional autonomy, less government intervention in the economy, and anticlericalism.
b. greater regional autonomy, less government intervention in the economy, and clean and fair elections.
c. greater regional autonomy, increased use of proportional representation, and less government
intervention in the economy.
d. greater regional autonomy, increased government intervention in the economy, and clean and fair
elections.
e. greater regional autonomy, increased government intervention in the economy, and support for private
and religious education.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
466
F
54. A key consistent difference between the PRI and the PAN has always been
a. that the PAN has advocated a closer relationship with the Catholic Church.
b. whether to move to a more free-market economy.
c. whether to have closer ties to the United States.
d. whether to increase regional autonomy.
e. all of the above.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
466
F
55. A significant factor that inhibits the prospects of the PRD is
a. the ability of the PRI and PAN to continuously appropriate its policies.
b. deep divisions within the party that at times have been mainly personality-based and at other times have
been between pragmatists and ideologues.
c. the lack of the party to win the control of any state.
d. it has found it difficult to formulate policies to alleviate poverty that do not imply a return to
governmental intervention in the economy—something that remains unpopular among the Mexican
electorate.
e. All of the above are significant factors that inhibit the prospects of the PRD.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
466–467
A
56. Which of the following is TRUE?
a. As Mexican law requires parties to receive at least 2.5 percent of the vote in order to participate in future
elections, the long-term viability of smaller parties in Mexico is uncertain at best.
b. Smaller parties typically are able to win a few of the seats in congress that are filled by proportional
representation.
c. Smaller parties sometimes wield influence on national policy by forming alliances with larger parties.
d. Smaller parties sometimes become the refuge of dissidents who have lost internal struggles in the larger
parties.
e. All of the above are true statements.
ANS:
E
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144
Chapter 10: Mexico
REF:
NOT:
467, 468
A
57. Which party is most vulnerable to the demographic changes in the country?
a. PRI
b. PAN
c. PDF
d. CTM
e. CNC
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
A
465
A
58. Which of the following may be a potential limit on the future role of the media in Mexican politics?
a. The number of newspapers is declining.
b. Many citizens have access to CNN and other global networks.
c. The ownership of many influential media outlets is fairly broad and widespread among many individuals
and corporations.
d. Violence and intimidation of reporters by drug cartels has limited the ability of the media to report on a
key issue.
e. The circulation of newspapers is declining.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
D
469
A
59. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. The Mexican government has traditionally responded to organized interests through pragmatic
accommodation.
b. Where open conflict has occurred between organized interests and the government, the government has
been quick to rely upon repression rather than to seek some kind of compromise solution.
c. There is a long tradition in Mexico of civic organizations operating at the local level with considerable
independence from politics.
d. Urban popular movements, organized around issues that cut across class boundaries, have been
increasingly visible in Mexico since the 1980s.
e. The earthquake of 1985 encouraged the formation of unprecedented numbers of grassroots movements in
response to the slow and poorly managed relief efforts of the government.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
B
469, 470
A
60. Assets that are beneficial to Mexico during its democratic transition include all of the following EXCEPT
a. a tradition of constitutional government.
b. a strong sense of national identity.
c. a political system that has incorporated a wide range of interests.
d. little military involvement in politics.
e. the strong role played by the Catholic Church in Mexican society and politics.
ANS:
REF:
NOT:
E
476
A
ESSAY
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
Chapter 10: Mexico
145
61. How did the PRI maintain control over Mexico for so long without facing significant challenges to its power?
Please cite specific examples in your answer.
ANS: Student answers may vary.
62. What factors helped to bring about the end of the PRI’s hegemonic position? Why was the party unable to
adequately respond to these factors?
ANS: Student answers may vary.
63. How has recent drug-related violence affected the country’s politics? Does such violence fundamentally
threaten the ongoing democratic transition?
ANS: Student answers may vary.
64. How have Mexican leaders responded to the challenges of globalization? Have the policies they have adopted
been successful in preparing the country to compete in an increasingly complex global economy? How have
such policies impacted Mexico’s domestic politics? Please cite specific examples in your argument.
ANS: Student answers may vary.
65. What economic developments in Mexico have had the greatest effects, both good and bad, on the country and
its citizenry? To what extent has government policy affected such developments? To what degree where they
shaped by outside forces? Please use specific examples in your answer.
ANS: Student answers may vary.
66. In what ways does the actual distribution of power differ from the model outlined in the Constitution? What
are the main reasons for such discrepancies? How has the ongoing democratization progress affected such
discrepancies?
ANS: Student answers may vary.
67. Since the 1980s, how has the balance of power between the executive and legislature shifted? What accounts
for these shifts? What impact has these shifts have upon the policy making process in the country?
ANS: Student answers may vary.
68. In most countries previously controlled by a single party, the democratic transition has seen the previously
controlling party wither away. This has not occurred in Mexico. Why has this been the case? Given this, what
challenges must the PRI overcome to continue to remain politically important in Mexico?
ANS: Student answers may vary.
69. How might Mexico be a useful example for other countries moving from authoritarian rule towards
democratic rule?
ANS: Student answers may vary.
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.