Mexico Briefing Paper Questions

The forward-thinking constitution of 1917 provided a model for other progressive movements in the region. Mexico's longest-running single party government and its' stability over the 20th century which contrasts sharply with other Latin American countries' instability and the democratic transition didn't require building new institutions from scratch, but rather breathing life into preexisting institutions that had been dominant because of the one-party rule.

Mexico can be fruitfully compared with China and Russia as contrasting examples of one-party rule. While Mexico's non-communist, one-party system was relatively unique, there are important similarities with the communist political institutions. One-party systems tend to operate with democratic window dressings, carrying on elections and maintaining legislatures, even though they are largely devoid of real political influence. This democratic facade typically leads to more stable authoritarianism and also shapes the transition to democracy in many ways. In the case of Mexico, the democratic transition didn't require building new institutions from scratch, but rather breathing life into preexisting institutions that had been dormant because of one-party rule. Russia's dual transition from a socialist economy to a market economy and from authoritarianism to democracy provides a great comparison with Mexico's dual transition from state-led development and one-party rule. While both of Russia's transitions were very quick, Mexico's transition to democracy was very slow, taking place over the course of more than a decade. The slow and gradual nature of Mexico's democratization ultimately, led to a stronger, more consolidated democracy that is unlikely to regress to authoritarianism. The prospects for Russia seems less optimistic. Both Mexico and Russia's economic transitions have been fraught with difficulties, as both countries have suffered major economic crises since the implementation of marked-based reforms.

A rentier state is a state which derives all or a substantial portion of its national revenues from the rent of indigenous resources to external clients. Mexico is not considered a rentier state because only about 7% of Mexico's export earnings come from oil. Since over 80% of Mexico's exports go to the US, if oil prices go up and hurt the US economy, demand for Mexico's other imports may go down, thus offsetting the potential benefits of higher oil prices.

While Mexico may seem poor compared to the US, in fact Mexico is quite wealthy compared to many other developing countries. The GDP per capita in Nigeria, for example, was just $900 in 2002. That is 1/10 the GDP per capita of Mexico and 1/40 the GDP per capita of the US.

The income gap in Mexico is very wide. The distribution of income is more unequal in Mexico than it is in the US. One way to measure income distribution is to compare the percentage of total income that the poorest 10% earn to that of the richest 10%. In Mexico the degree of disparity between the rich and the poor is one of the worst in the world. The poorest tenth of Mexican society earns only 1.6 percent of total income while the richest 10 percent earn 41 percent.

2000: Vicente Fox is sworn in as the first president elected who did not belong to the ruling party. 2006: U.S. President George W. Bush signs a law that authorizes the building of a 700-mile fence between Mexico and the U.S. in order to help stop illegal immigration. 2007: More than 500,000 people are left homeless after heavy rains cause flooding in the southern state of Tabasco. 2012: Enrique Peña Nieto wins the presidential election and takes office on December 1.

A viceroy is literally a \"vice king,\" the king's representative to the colonies. The viceroy ruled as the personal representative for the king of Spain with very few constraints on his power. In contrast to the experience of the British colonies to the north, the Spanish allowed almost no local autonomy, and there was no experimentation with democracy. Catholicism was the only religion tolerated in colonial Mexico, and the Catholic Church had vast wealth and power.

The US and France interfered in Mexico in the 19th century.

The positive is he ushered in a long period of peace and economic growth for his country. He promoted modernization. He made huge investments in infrastructure. The negatives are the gap between the poor and rich increased dramatically, making the poor live in worse conditions than their ancestors 100 years earlier and inequality increased dramatically. Land laws were changed and many people lost land that had been in their families for years and years to land companies.

The first cause that leads to revolution is potential revolutionaries must perceive injustice, the second cause is they must have access to basic resources needed to carry out a revolution, and the third cause is the state must be in a weak state.

The sense of injustice by the poor, economic policies protected foreign investor at the expense of average Mexicans, and the rule by Diaz was becoming very weak and the opportunity was ripe.

The PRI was formed in 1929. Lazaro Cardenas helped strengthen and establish PRI control.

The corporatist system was based on military, workers, peasants, popular groups. He focused on these groups in order to advance his country.

A government policy after the revolution devoted to all things Mexican. This contrasts with the earlier cultural tendency of looking to Europe and North America for inspiration.

The PRI constantly won every single important election and many believed it was not happening fairly. There was no checking on the power of the president-he could rule as a virtual dictator.

Mexico hosted the Summer Olympics. The protests happened because the people believed that the country spent too much money on the Olympics when they could have spent it on more important causes benefiting the country and the Mexican people.

Beginning in 1988 and the mid 1980's is when a group of leftists in the party started having a large influence.

He is a candidate chosen to lead the country (chosen by leftists) his largest background information is that he is the son of beloved former president Lazaro Cardenas.

Vicente Fox won the 2000 election in Mexico.

Mexico is a federal system with 31 states.

Until 1989, the president basically appointed Governors since all elections were won by the PRI.

The separation of powers went from being nonexistent, and in the hands of the president and the executive to the president losing his power so that the separation of powers could increase in the other branches.

Legislature is bicameral, the upper house is Senate, and the lower house is Chamber of Deputies.

200 seats through Single member district and the other 300 by proportional representation.

6 years

It is much stronger now. During PRI rule, it was basically under the command of the executive.

It has no clear ideology and it controls the broad center of politics. It remind me of United Russia since they also have no clear ideology due to the fact that they change in order to win every single election.

CNC is the main peasant organization while the CTM is the main labor union.

It holds a right/conservative ideology. Appealed to a small segment of middle class Catholics and some business people.

PRD stands for Party of the Democratic Revolution. It represents the left and was founded in 1989 by a diverse coalition of members of leftist factions. Strongest in Mexico City and the poorer Mexican states. It promotes nationalism which reminds me of communism.

Elections have played an important part in Mexican politics since the revolution. They have served to legitimize the rule of the PRI and the PRI has reformed the electoral institutions until they were much more democratic. During the period of democratization elections became the focal point of oppositional politics.

Key elements were the constitution was more radical than older ones. It limited power of the church. Called for land reform and said subsoil rights were the property of the nation. Limited foreigner rights to land.

Corporatism is representing the citizens interest in the government. Pluralism is when the people form interest groups to represent their interests to the government

Civil society was very weak for most of 20th century due to the system of corporatism.

Mestizos and indigenous people is the main ethnic cleavage in Mexican society.

Mexico city and the rest of the country. Also between the North and the South.

Women are underrepresented in society. Women have served as governors and other important positions in government though and have played a larger part in society as the years have gone on. They have also participated in major urban movements.

Due to vast oil discoveries in Mexico, the government improved rapidly in this period of time. Also the health and welfare of the time improved, resulting in a more efficient country in general.

Neoliberalism is a strategy for economic development that contrasts sharply with ISI. Neoliberalism calls for free markets, balanced budgets, privatization, free trade, and minimal government intervention in the economy.

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) is a trade agreement between Mexico, Canada, and the US. It became effective January 1st, 1994. NAFTA was proposed by Carlos Salinas, president of Mexico from 1988 to 1994 and its impact has been that it has helped the Mexican people by the country's exports becoming more diversified and less dependent on oil. Also trade increased significantly between the 3 countries and tariffs decreased.

Vicente Fox came to power promising to reduce police abuse and investigate past human rights violations. Fox has made some important advances, including the creation of an undersecretary of human rights and democracy and increased cooperation with international human rights groups. A new freedom of information act promoted by Fox has opened up the secret archives on past human right cases.

Air pollution in Mexico City is by far the largest environmental problem they face. It is said to have the worst air pollution in the world.

Foreign-owned assembly plants that operated in tax-free zones along the northern border.

Migration from the South to the North of the country has been taking place because there are more economic opportunities in the North.

The consequences of Mexican migration to the US are the loss of educated and ambitious Mexicans that come to the US. These people would help the Mexican economy. Mexico receives about $9 billion a year in remittances sent back home by immigrants. This is the 3rd most important source of foreign exchange after oil and tourism. Immigration has increased the stability for the Mexican political system by providing an escape valve for frustrated young people who choose to leave rather than change the politics of Mexico.