Chapter 10
Mexico
SECTION 1
THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Politics in Action
•
2006: Felipe Calderón became president.
–
Day earlier Andres Manuel López Obrador had declared himself
the legitimate president.
o
–
•
Members of Party of the Democratic Revolution vowed to prevent
Calderon from taking office.
Election had been close, with allegations of fraud on all sides.
Political and economic dissatisfaction continues today.
–
Daunting challenges:
o
o
o
o
Restoring sense of security
Establishing the rule of law and impunity

Police forces and criminal justice system undergoing reform
Reducing inequality
Creating jobs and opportunities
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Geographic Setting
•
•
Second largest nation in Latin America; Portuguese speaking
Diverse population:
–
Sixty percent is mestizo.
o
o
–
Mestizo —a person of mixed white, indigenous (Amerindian), and
sometimes African descent.
Amerindians—original peoples of North and South America;
indigenous people.
Largest indigenous groups are the Maya and Náhuatl.
o
Indigenous groups —population of Amerindian heritage in Mexico.
–
Men and women seek job opportunities in maquiladoras, or
assembly industries.
o
Maquiladoras —factories that produce goods for export, often located
along the United States-Mexican border.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Critical Junctures
 Independence and Instability (1810–1876)
•
•
1521 Hernán Cortés toppled Aztec; thus Spain began its rule,
which would expand over three centuries.
“New Spain” was designed to:
–
–
–
Extract wealth from the territory, ensuring flow to mother
country
Ensure commitment to Roman Catholic Church
Subordination of Amerindian population
•
1810 Miguel Hidalgo, parish priest, began wars for
independence.
–
Mexico gained independence in 1821.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Independence and Instability (1810–1876) (Cont’d)
•
United States declares war on border dispute in 1846
–
–
•
•
Constitution of 1857 incorporated a somewhat democratic
government, a bill of rights, and limitations on the power of the
church.
1861: Occupation by Great Britain and France to collect debts
–
•
Resulted in 1848 treaty entitling land that became states of
New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, and part of
Colorado for $18 million.
Legacy of Mexican resentment towards the United States.
Reign of Emperor Maximilian (1864–1867)
1867: Benito Juárez, President
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Porfiriato (1876–1911)
•
•
Retired general Porfirio Díaz becomes President in 1876
Established dictatorship, known as Porfiriato
–
–
–
Lasted for 34 years
Welcomed at first for stability
Highly centralized authoritarian system to create political
order and economic progress imposed by Díaz
o
o
Relied on clique of advisors known as científicos (scientists) to
adopt European foreign investment and amass personal
fortunes.
Citizens dissatisfied with greed of government and lack of
opportunities.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Revolution of 1910 and the Sonoran Dynasty
(1910–1934)
•
•
Revolution 1910 brought end to Porfiriato.
1910: Francisco I. Madero, president
–
–
Díaz was jailed and forced into exile.
Madero assassinated during coup d’état in 1913
o
o
Coup d’éat—forceful, extra-constitutional action resulting in
removal of an existing government.
Wealthy landowners took over lands of villagers.

Emiliano Zapata manifesto, the Plan de Ayala, became
part of Constitution of 1917.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Revolution of 1910 and the Sonoran Dynasty
(1910–1934) (Cont’d)
•
Pancho Villa rallied army to challenge national army
–
–
Combined military maneuvers with banditry, looting,
warlordism
United States invaded Mexico to punish Villa
o
Failed to locate Villa and increased hostility toward United
States
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Revolution of 1910 and the Sonoran Dynasty
(1910–1934) (Cont’d)
•
Mexican Constitution 1917
–
Established formal set of political institutions and guaranteed
citizens a range of progressive social and economic rights:
o
agrarian reform, social security, right to organize in unions, minimum
wage, an eight-hour workday, profit sharing for workers, universal
secular education, and adult male suffrage.
o
Did not provide for women suffrage
–
Only Mexican citizens or the government could own land or
rights to water and other natural resources.
–
Limited power of the Roman Catholic Church
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Revolution of 1910 and the Sonoran Dynasty
(1910–1934) (Cont’d)
•
Power consolidated in hands of Sonoran Dynasty, under
Plutarco Elías Calles
–
•
Emerged as supreme leader (jefe máximo)
Calles emerged as president (1924–1928) and selected
successors.
–
Accompanied by anticlericalism, resulting in warfare
between government and Catholic Church
o
anticlericalism—opposition to the power of churches or clergy in
politics
–
Resulted in nonviolent conflict resolution among elites and
uninterrupted rule under International Revolutionary Party.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Revolution of 1910 and the Sonoran Dynasty
(1910–1934) (Cont’d)
•
Five results of revolution:
–
–
–
–
–
Power of traditional landowners was undercut.
Influence of Catholic Church was reduced.
Power of foreign investors was severely limited.
New political elite consolidated power and agreed to bargain
to resolve differences.
New constitution and new party established basis for strong
central government.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Lázaro Cárdenas, Agrarian Reform, and the
Workers (1934 –1940)
•
Lázaro Cárdenas established his own supremacy.
–
–
Mobilized peasants and workers in pursuit of radical goals of
1910
Tremendous land distribution
o
Distributed in form of ejidos (collective land grants) to peasant
groups
o
Ejidatarios became supporters of government .

Ejidatario—recipient of an ejido land grant in Mexico.
–
–
Cárdenas encouraged workers to form unions, demand
higher wages, and better working conditions.
Cárdenas years witnessed great expansion of role of state
o
o
o
Encouraged investment in industrialization
Provided credit to agriculture
Created infrastructure
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 The Politics of Rapid Development (1940–1982)
•
Cárdenas’s successors counteracted his reforms.
–
Leaders developed patronage machine and used
organizations in return for political favors.
o Exchange relationships known as clientelism

–
Clientelism—patron offers resources in return for support
and services.
Presidents reoriented country away from egalitarian goals to
industrialization and accumulation of wealth.
o Economic growth high during 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s
•
•
Economic crisis in 1970s short-lived with discovery of
vast amounts of oil.
New economic crisis in 1980s as oil prices plunged.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Crisis and Reform (1982–2000)
•
Economic crisis led to reversal of development strategy.
–
–
Limit government role in economy, increase exports
Effort to integrate Mexico into global economy includes signing
of North American Free Trade Agreement 1993 (NAFTA)
o
NAFTA—Jan., 1994: Treaty among United States, Mexico, and
Canada that largely eliminates trade barriers among the three nations
and establishes procedures to resolve trade disputes.
•
•
Economic development tied to international economic
conditions.
Economic crises 1994 and 2008
–
Economic crisis of 1990s accompanied by political instability.
o
o
Rebellion of Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN)
Assassination of President Luis Donaldo Colosio on March 23, 1994
•
Vincente Fox—(2000) First non-PRI president in 70
years.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Since 2000: Mexico as a Multi-Party Democracy
•
Fox’s reform program difficult to implement
–
– Lacked experience and congressional majority
Turned to international policy, particularly United States migration
policy
o
o
•
September 11 refocused United States away from Mexico and Latin
America
Migration policy failed.
Calderón elected
–
Obrador refused to concede, alleging fraud
o
o
–
–
Declared himself “legitimate” president
Divided opposition, allowing Calderón to consolidate power
Able to achieve major legislative goals
Declared war on drug lords and drug trafficking
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Themes and Implications
 Historical Junctures and Political Themes
•
Modern Mexican state emerged from revolution.
–
–
–
o
Goals: democracy, social justice, national control of
resources
State created conditions for political and social peace and
belief that it could improve the quality of life.
Early 1980s—aspired to status of newly industrialized
countries (NICs)
Newly industrialized countries (NICs) —Countries that achieved
rapid economic development beginning in the 1960s, largely
stimulated by robust international trade (particularly exports) and
guided by government policies.
o
Concern that this puts Mexico in a position subordinate to the
Unites States
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Historical Junctures and Political Themes (Cont’d)
•
After 1910 Revolution, representation through governmentmediated organizations within corporatist state
–
Corporatist state—a state in which interest groups become
an institutionalized part of the structure.
o
Increased state power in relation to civil society —space
occupied by voluntary associations outside the state; for
example, professional associations (lawyers, doctors,
teachers), trade unions, student and women’s groups, religious
bodies, and other voluntary association groups.
–
State goals were defined and indoctrination used to legitimize
this as a state action.
–
State had resources to control or co-opt dissent and
purchase political loyalty.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
 Implications for Comparative Politics
•
Mexican political system stability unique among developing
countries
–
•
Model based on alliance between dominant party and strong,
development-oriented state
Oil rich, upper-middle-income developing country
–
–
Oil is vulnerable source of revenue.
Economic inequality stems from the way economic growth
and industrialization were promoted.
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THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MEXICAN STATE
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SECTION 2
POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 State and Economy
•
Policymakers during Porfiriato linked economic growth to export of
raw materials.
–
•
Efforts to attract domestic and international investment
encouraged major boom.
Postrevolutionary Mexico combines nationalism with social justice.
–
Adopted strategy of state capitalism to guide industrial and
agricultural growth
o
State capitalism—System that is primarily capitalistic but in which
there is some degree of government ownership of the means of
production.
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 Import Substitution and Its Consequences
•
1940–1982: Followed import substituting industrialization
(ISI)
–
Import substituting industrialization (ISI)—Strategy for
industrialization based on domestic manufacture of previously
imported goods to satisfy domestic market demands.
•
Agrarian reform in 1930s created ejido.
•
–
–
Development of private agriculture after Cárdenas left office
Adoption of Green revolution technology
o
Green Revolution—Strategy for increasing agricultural (especially
food) production, involving improved seeds, irrigation, and abundant
use of fertilizers.
Domestic entrepreneurs developed relationship with state.
–
–
Protected by government policies
Commercially-oriented farmers emerged to dominate the
agricultural economy.
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 Import Substitution and Its Consequences (Cont’d)
•
Economic and political development had costs.
–
–
–
Government policies limited growth potential.
Shift from labor-intensive to capital-intensive industries
limited generation of new jobs.
Growth of inequality, informal sector (economy)
o
Informal sector economy—workers who produced and sold goods
and services at the margin of the economic system and faced
extreme insecurity.
o
Disparities in rural and urban incomes encouraged rural
guerrilla movements and student protests emerged.
–
By 1960s, country was no longer able to meet domestic
demands for food.
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 Sowing the Oil and Reaping a Crisis
•
Mexico became major oil exporter.
–
•
Revenues were invested in all sectors and poverty reduction
programs started.
Economy vulnerable to change in oil prices
–
Oil prices dropped in 1982.
o
o
•
United States tightened monetary policy; increased interest rates.
Foreign debt mounted.
Implications of crisis on structures of power and privilege
–
–
–
–
–
Import substitute created inefficiencies in production.
Failed to generate sufficient employment
Cost government far too much in subsidies
Increased dependency on industrialized countries
Shift in employment from formal to informal caused
fragmentation
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 New Strategies: Structural Reforms and NAFTA
•
Demands to deal with economic and political crisis
–
Weakening of political power centers provided opportunity to
reorient economic development strategy
o
o
•
Deregulation gave private sector more freedom.
Overhaul of federal system, delegating more power to state and
local governments
North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA)
–
–
–
Increased vulnerability to international economy
Linked Mexican and United States economies
Led to economic crises of 1994 and recession of 1995
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 Society and Economy
•
Mexico’s economic development impacted social conditions.
–
–
–
–
Standard of living rose after 1940s
Development of middle class
Social progress could have been better.
Increased economic inequality
o
–
–
Rural areas particularly impoverished
South and central regions worse off than north
Economic crisis of 1980s hurt social conditions.
o
o
Rise of informal sector
Reduced quality and availability of social services
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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
 Mexico in the Global Economy
•
Mexico’s international economic policies altered by 1982 crisis
–
Government pursued outward-oriented policies.
o
o
o
o
•
Further changes with 1994 crisis
–
–
•
Relaxed trade and investment barriers and encouraged production of
exports
Joined General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Signed trade pacts
Ratified North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA)

Seen as having benefits and risks
$50 billion economic assistance program by United States,
Europe, and IMF
Imposed economic stabilization package—containing austerity
measures, higher interest rates, and limits on wages.
Globalization has increased government transparency.
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SECTION 3
GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 Organization of the State
•
Constitution of 1917—supreme law of land
–
Three branches with checks and balances
–
Two chamber legislature:
o
Senate:

128 senators are elected (three from each of the country’s 31
states) and 3 from the Federal District.

32 are elected nationally by proportional representation (PR)

Proportional representation (PR)—system of political
representation in which seats are allocated to parties within
multimember constituencies, roughly in proportion to the votes
each party receives.
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 Organization of the State (Cont’d)
•
Constitution of 1917—supreme law of land (Cont’d)
–
Two chamber legislature (Cont’d)
o
Chamber of Deputies

500 members are elected from 300 electoral districts by
simple majority; 200 by proportional representation.
–
Deputies and municipal officers have three-year terms.
–
Constitution is easily amended and includes human, economic, and social
rights.
–
Political system is still fairly centralized.
–
Executive initiates policy and manages political conflict.
–
President, governors, and senators are elected for six years, referred to as
the sexenio—six year administration.
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 The Executive
 The President and the Cabinet
•
•
•
•
President is central institution of governance and policymaking.
Until 1990s: Incumbent selected candidate from
Institutional Revolutionary Party, appointed officials, named
other candidates as governors, senators, and so on.
Currently, president sets outline of policy and uses
resources to ensure adoption.
Powers of president:
–
–
Formal powers: Initiate legislation, lead foreign policy, create
agencies
Informal power: Make policy by decree and through
administrative regulations and procedures
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 The President and the Cabinet (Cont’d)
•
Although powerful, not omnipotent; constitutional and
traditional limitations
–
–
•
One six-year term, after which they exit political limelight
Demonstrate loyalty to Mexican nationalism
Since 1970s, Presidents have been trained in economics
and management.
–
By 1980s, divide between políticos (politicians) and técnicos
(technocrats) had emerged within national political elite.
o
•
Technocrats—career-minded bureaucrats who administer
public policy according to a technical rather than political
rationale.
President names cabinet and appoints other high-level
positions, increasing his control over government.
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 The Bureaucracy
•
Bureaucracy is large and powerful.
–
Lower level personnel are unionized and protected by
legislation that gives them job security and a range of
benefits.
–
Middle and upper levels are called “confidence
employees”—serve as long as their bosses have confidence
in them.
o
Meager salary, but wield significant power in public affairs
o
Others take bribes or use other means to promote personal
interests.
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 The Parastatal Sector
•
The parastatal sector was powerful in Mexico prior to the
1990s.
–
Parastatals —State-owned, or at least state-controlled,
corporations, created to undertake a broad range of activities, from
control and marketing of agricultural production to provision of
banking services, operating airlines, and other transportation
facilities and public utilities.
–
Important in government support of economic development
–
Trimmed by economic reforms of 1980s
o
Privatization of industries
o
Nationalist political actors insist on importance of public ownership of
key industries.
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 Other State Institutions
 The Military
•
•
Military marginalized from political power
Military has dealt with domestic unrest and natural
disasters.
–
Involved in human rights abuses in 1970s
•
Involved in combating drug trafficking
•
– Rumors of military deals with drug barons
Citizenship have more respect for armed forces than police
forces, which are widely regarded as corrupt and ineffective.
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 The Judiciary
•
Mexican law based on Roman and Napoleonic tradition
–
–
–
•
Federal and state courts
–
–
•
Formal and explicit
No punitive damages allowed
Amparo—citizens ask for writ of protection claiming
constitutional rights violated by government action or law.
Federal system includes Supreme Court (important cases),
circuit courts (appeals), district courts (cases entering
system).
Specialized federal courts include labor, military, electoral.
Historically, judicial is politically subordinate to executive.
–
Reforms underway, but exceedingly slow
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 Subnational Government
•
•
•
•
Regional and local government differs from constitution in
practice.
Each state has own constitution, executive, unicameral
legislature, judiciary.
Municipalities governed by elected mayors and councils.
State and municipal governments poor
–
–
–
•
Funds transferred from central government
Little capacity to raise their own revenue
Staff not well trained or well paid
Efforts at decentralization since 1990s
–
Some local resistance due to work load and budgets
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GOVERNANCE AND POLICY-MAKING
 The Policy-Making Process
•
Mexico dependent on presidential understanding of economic
and social policy impacts
–
New presidents can extensively change government personnel.
o
o
•
President and bureaucracy focus of policy formulation and
political management.
–
–
Legislative majority until 1997 provided rubber stamp of
president-sponsored legislation.
Since 1997 congress more active in policy-making
o
•
High and middle levels share and are motivated to carry out goals.
Ability to quickly change policy
Presidential legislation not guaranteed passage
Presidential power limited during policy implementation
–
President may not always deliver on intentions.
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SECTION 4
REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 The Legislature
•
Because of overwhelming dominance of ruling party, opposition
to presidential initiatives was rarely heard.
–
•
Since end of 1980s, representation became more diverse.
–
–
–
•
•
If no agreement with policy, they counted on flexibility and afterthe-fact bending of rules or disregard of measures that they felt
were harmful to interests.
Number of political parties now represented
Women have begun to be elected to more positions.
Representatives from ranks of community activists
Since 1990s role of legislature in policy process has been
strengthened because of lost of stranglehold by PRI.
Congress has evolved from rubber-stamp institution to one that
must be negotiated by executive branch.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 Political Parties and the Party System
•
Multiple parties have existed in Mexico.
–
Electoral reforms made it easier for opposition parties to contest
elections and win seats in legislature.
o
o
o
1990: Electoral commission created to regulate campaigns and
elections.
All parties receive government funding and have access to media.
Campaign financing law was passed in 2008.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 The PRI
•
Institutional Revolutionary Party founded by coalition of
political elites who preferred compromise to violence
–
–
•
1930s: Forerunner was mass-based party.
Principle activities to generate support for government,
organize electorate, distribute patronage
Party organization based on corporate representation of
class interests until 1990s
–
Labor represented by Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM)
o
–
Peasants represented by National Peasant Confederation (CNC)
o
–
Best organized and most powerful
Source of strongest support
Popular sector less cohesive but represented by National
Confederation of Popular Organizations (CNOP)
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 The PRI (Cont’d)
•
Institutional Revolutionary Party functioned through extended
networks that distributed public resources to activists, who
controlled local votes.
–
–
Ambitious developed networks of patrons to whom they
delivered votes from clients, who received public resources.
Power was centralized and sectors responded to elites rather
than members.
o
•
By 1980s: New generations less reliant on patronage politics
and willing to question party
–
•
Sectors became associated with corruption, bossism,
centralized control, lack of effective participation.
1988 election demonstrated relevance of changing
demographic.
It is still only party that has a presence in every region of the
country.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 The PAN
•
1939: National Action Party (PAN) founded to represent
interests opposed to centralization and anticlericalism of
PRI
–
–
–
–
•
Founders believed strong opposition party needed.
Strongest in northern states where opposition to Mexico City
is strong
Primarily urban middle class identified with private sector
Platform generally regional autonomy, less government
intervention, reduced business regulation, fair elections,
relationship with Catholic Church, support for private and
religious education
National Action Party increased power in 1980s and 1990s.
–
–
Used economic crises and political reforms
Plurality of seats in Congress by 2006
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 The PAN (Cont’d)
•
Nominated Fox for president in 2000
–
Not longstanding party member
o
–
–
•
Party insiders worked to limit his ability to run for office, forcing
him to find other sources of funding.
When he won, party was weak and not united behind him.
Unable to capitalize on electoral victory, allowing party
insiders to regain control and nominate Calderón
As of 2011, PAN controls the governships of seven states, is
the largest party in the Mexican Senate, and the second-largest
party in the Chamber of Deputies, after the PRI.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 The PRD
•
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)
–
–
Populist, nationalist, leftist
Candidate in 1988 and 1994 was Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas,
son of Mexico’s most famous president.
o
o
o
•
•
•
Rejected from Institutional Revolutionary Party when demanded
internal party reform and social justice platform
Benefited from Institutional Revolutionary Party defection
Challenged vote counts
Internal divisions over platform, leadership, organizational
structure, election strategy
Obrador was elected party leader in1996.
Institutional Revolutionary Party and National Action Party have
effectively formed an alliance excluding Democratic
Revolutionary Party.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 Other Parties
•
Smaller parties contest elections.
–
•
These are: Convergencia (Convergence); Partido del
Trabajo (PT, Labor Party): Partido Verde Ecologista
Mexicana (PVEM, Green Party); and Partido Nueva Alianza
(New Alliance Party).
Mexican law requires parties to receive at least 2.5 percent
of vote to compete in future elections.
–
–
–
Long-term viability of small parties questionable
Win some of the proportional representation seats in
Chamber of Deputies and Senate
Gain power through alliances with larger parties
o
•
Endorse candidate or party slate
Some small parties have clear platforms while others
appear opportunistic in alliances.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 Elections
•
Three main parties draw voters from wide, overlapping spectrum,
yet each has a typical voter.
–
Institutional Revolutionary Party—rural, older, poorer, less
educated
o
–
–
•
•
Support vulnerable to economic and demographic changes
National Action Party—northern, urban, middle-class
professional, high school or above
Democratic Revolutionary Party—young, political activist, central
states, urban or small town, high school or less
Voting for opposition parties is urban phenomenon.
Electoral reforms made it easier for opposition parties.
–
Elections more competitive and fair since 1994
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity
•
Most Mexicans understand political system and its benefits.
–
•
Understand informal rules
o Clientelism allows participation at all levels.
New ways of interacting with government are emerging.
–
–
–
–
Coexist with clientelism
Negotiate with government on basis of citizenship rights
Organizations forming coalitions
Role of public opinion and media more important
o Media became more independent in 1980s.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 Interests, Social Movements, and Protest
•
Mexican political system responded to groups of citizens by
pragmatical accommodation of their interests.
–
Accommodation—Informal agreement or settlement between government
and important interest groups that is responsive to the interest groups’
concerns for policy or program benefits.
•
As PRI no longer monopolizes political power, the power of union
bosses has declined.
Since 1994, Zapatista have become focal point for rights of
indigenous groups and rural poverty.
Civic organizations operate at community and local levels
independent of politics.
•
•
–
Globalization has brought to surface issues such as abortion and
gay rights.
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REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
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SECTION 5
MEXICAN POLITICS IN TRANSITION
 Political Challenges and Changing Agendas
•
Mexico tests democratic idea in a state with a history of
authoritarian institutions.
–
Make government more transparent
•
–
Efforts to increase transparency being hindered
Improve state of human rights
•
Opening of military and secret police files
•
Ratification of Inter-American Convention on Enforced
Disappearance of Persons
•
Although human rights are much more likely to be protected than in
the past, the government still has a long way to go in safeguarding
the rights of the Mexican people.
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MEXICAN POLITICS IN TRANSITION
 Political Challenges and Changing Agendas (Cont’d)
•
Challenges to reflect ethnic and religious diversity and provide
equity for women in economic and political affairs
–
–
–
•
Movement of ethnic groups demanding justice and equality
Roman Catholic Church losing member to Protestant sects that
appeal to concerns of poor Mexicans
Women have a long way to go before equal wages or equal voice
in politics.
National identity affected by global economic integration and
international migration.
–
Labor migration to the United States
o
o
o
Cash remittances are important income.
Border control issues, especially since 9/11
Difference in job opportunities and wages
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MEXICAN POLITICS IN TRANSITION
 Political Challenges and Changing Agendas (Cont’d)
•
Mexico being challenged to improve social conditions
–
–
–
–
In past social services used to increase political control
Some argue for expanded employment and economic growth, but
requires improved education.
Others look to understand the causes of poverty.
Populace does not believe that government has the capacity to
provide conditions fairly and efficiently.
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MEXICAN POLITICS IN TRANSITION
 Mexican Politics in Comparative Perspective
•
•
Mexico confronts same challenges as other countries in unique
historical and institutional context
Mexico has tradition of relatively strong institutions
–
•
Not likely to devolve to sustained political instability
Pivotal case of political and economic transition for developing
world
–
–
–
–
Bridge gap between past and future
Move from centralization to effective local governance
Move from regional vulnerability to global interdependence
Move from control of few to participation of many
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