MEXICOMEXICO

Part 1

one of the great revolutions in world historyone of the great revolutions in world history modern constitutionmodern constitution A middle income countryA middle income country longest ruling single-party government in longest ruling single-party government in

historyhistory nationalization of subsoil rightsnationalization of subsoil rights

– managed reliance on export earningsmanaged reliance on export earnings slow transition to democracyslow transition to democracy

– greater consolidation, less risk of regressiongreater consolidation, less risk of regression transition from state-led development to transition from state-led development to

neoliberal economic policyneoliberal economic policy

Comparative revolutions,Comparative revolutions, early 20 early 20thth century century

Russia (1917)Russia (1917) China (1911)China (1911) Mexico (1910)Mexico (1910)

compare:compare:– motivationsmotivations– characteristicscharacteristics– outcomesoutcomes

Comparative revolutions: motivationsComparative revolutions: motivations

Russia:Russia:– defeat authoritarian government; implement defeat authoritarian government; implement

Marxist ideologyMarxist ideology China:China:

– Drive out ‘foreign devils;’ defeat authoritarian, Drive out ‘foreign devils;’ defeat authoritarian, weak government; assert nationalismweak government; assert nationalism

Mexico:Mexico:– Defeat authoritarian government; break Defeat authoritarian government; break

dependence on foreign nations; elite power dependence on foreign nations; elite power strugglestruggle

Comparative revolutions: characteristicsComparative revolutions: characteristics

Russia:Russia:– led by V.I. Lenin and Bolsheviks; violent, led by V.I. Lenin and Bolsheviks; violent,

sudden change; carried out in middle of WW Isudden change; carried out in middle of WW I China:China:

– regional warlordism; violent, sudden change; regional warlordism; violent, sudden change; chaotic, competing forceschaotic, competing forces

Mexico:Mexico:– conflict among elitesconflict among elites joined by populist joined by populist

forces; sudden, violent change; chaotic, forces; sudden, violent change; chaotic, competing forcescompeting forces

Comparative revolutions: outcomesComparative revolutions: outcomes

Russia:Russia:– 4 years of civil war; triumph of Marxism-4 years of civil war; triumph of Marxism-

Leninism; one-party stateLeninism; one-party state China:China:

– years of chaos, 2 competing forces; triumph of years of chaos, 2 competing forces; triumph of Maoism; one-party stateMaoism; one-party state

Mexico:Mexico:– years of violence, instability; elites years of violence, instability; elites

‘umbrellaed’ under PRI for stability; one-party ‘umbrellaed’ under PRI for stability; one-party statestate

the ‘Mexican miracle’: a model for LDCsthe ‘Mexican miracle’: a model for LDCs– rapidly increasing GNPrapidly increasing GNP– orderly transition from authoritarian to orderly transition from authoritarian to

democratic governmentdemocratic government

problems:problems:– drop in oil prices, 1980sdrop in oil prices, 1980s– mounting debtmounting debt– ethnic conflictethnic conflict– political corruption, violencepolitical corruption, violence

Mexico as an NICMexico as an NIC– PPP $14,200PPP $14,200– 58% employed in service sector58% employed in service sector– economically a developing countryeconomically a developing country– politically a transitional democracypolitically a transitional democracy

sovereignty, authority and powersovereignty, authority and power

great fluctuation in sources of public authoritygreat fluctuation in sources of public authority

– from arrival of Spaniards in early 16from arrival of Spaniards in early 16thth century to century to independence, 1821: rule by viceroyindependence, 1821: rule by viceroy

centralized, authoritarian rule, no participation centralized, authoritarian rule, no participation by indigenous peopleby indigenous people

– from independence to mid-20from independence to mid-20thth century: rule by century: rule by military generalsmilitary generals

– late 20late 20thth century: economic growth century: economic growth democratizationdemocratization

legitimacylegitimacy

Revolution of 1910-11: source of legitimacyRevolution of 1910-11: source of legitimacy– revolution as a pathway to changerevolution as a pathway to change– charismatic legitimacycharismatic legitimacy– admiration for leaders: Miguel Hidalgo, admiration for leaders: Miguel Hidalgo,

Benito Juarez, Emilioi Zapata, Panch Villa, Benito Juarez, Emilioi Zapata, Panch Villa, Lazaro CardenasLazaro Cardenas

revolution legitimized by formation of revolution legitimized by formation of Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in in 19291929– no successful challenge until late 20no successful challenge until late 20thth

centurycentury

historical traditionshistorical traditions

3 stages3 stages: : – colonialismcolonialism– chaos of 19chaos of 19thth – early 20 – early 20thth centuries centuries– recent period of economic growthrecent period of economic growth

4 issues4 issues::– authoritarianismauthoritarianism– populismpopulism– power plays/divisions within the elitepower plays/divisions within the elite– instability and legitimacyinstability and legitimacy

political culturepolitical culture

strong sense of national identification strong sense of national identification based on common history, dominant based on common history, dominant religion and languagereligion and language

religionreligion: : – until 1920s. Catholic Church participated actively until 1920s. Catholic Church participated actively

in politicsin politics– revolutionary era of early 20revolutionary era of early 20thth century, century,

government moved toward an anti-cleric positiongovernment moved toward an anti-cleric position– population largely devout Catholics whose population largely devout Catholics whose

religious beliefs influence their political values religious beliefs influence their political values and actionsand actions

political culture, cont.political culture, cont.

patron-clientelismpatron-clientelism: the glue that held an agrarian : the glue that held an agrarian society togethersociety together

– network of network of camarillascamarillas– pressure to change due to democratization and pressure to change due to democratization and

industrializationindustrialization– PRI’s loss of influence: a sign of decline of PRI’s loss of influence: a sign of decline of

clientelism?clientelism?– corporatism still plays a significant role in corporatism still plays a significant role in

policymakingpolicymaking

Economic dependency:Economic dependency:– Mexico has always been under the economic Mexico has always been under the economic

shadow of a more powerful country (Spain shadow of a more powerful country (Spain USA) USA)

geographic influencegeographic influence

extreme geographic diversityextreme geographic diversity– mountains and desertsmountains and deserts: separate regions, : separate regions,

communications and transportation, limit communications and transportation, limit productive agricultureproductive agriculture

– varied climatesvaried climates– natural resourcesnatural resources: abundance of oil, silver: abundance of oil, silver– border with USAborder with USA: migration and dependency : migration and dependency

issuesissues– populationpopulation: world’s most populous Spanish-: world’s most populous Spanish-

speaking countryspeaking country– urbanizationurbanization: ¾s of population lives in cities of : ¾s of population lives in cities of

interior or along coastsinterior or along coasts

Political and economic changePolitical and economic change

long history of authoritarian governmentlong history of authoritarian government– Spanish colonial rule: unlike British Spanish colonial rule: unlike British

approach, allowed no local autonomyapproach, allowed no local autonomy– mestizajemestizaje: unlike British, Spanish : unlike British, Spanish

colonizers engaged in deliberate racial colonizers engaged in deliberate racial mixing, strict racial hierarchiesmixing, strict racial hierarchies

– haciendashaciendas: caused indigenous people to : caused indigenous people to lose control of the landlose control of the land

2020thth century: populism, violence, century: populism, violence, instabilityinstability

recent trend toward democratizationrecent trend toward democratization

Economic change:Economic change:– for most of its history, Mexico’s economy for most of its history, Mexico’s economy

was rooted in the primary sector: was rooted in the primary sector: agriculture and miningagriculture and mining

– influence of USA: drive to industrializeinfluence of USA: drive to industrialize– encouragement of foreign investment encouragement of foreign investment

dependency on foreign economiesdependency on foreign economies– struggle to manage dependence on oilstruggle to manage dependence on oil– today, moving rapidly toward industrial today, moving rapidly toward industrial

or even post-industrial economyor even post-industrial economy

colonialismcolonialism

Spain, 1519 – 1821Spain, 1519 – 1821– social hierarchysocial hierarchy– cultural heterogeneity: mixing of cultural heterogeneity: mixing of

populationspopulations60% of Mexicans today are 60% of Mexicans today are mestizomestizo

– Catholicism: aggressive and extensive Catholicism: aggressive and extensive missionary drivemissionary drive

– economic dependency : controlled by economic dependency : controlled by mother country, existed to enrich itmother country, existed to enrich it

– authoritarian – no indigenous autonomyauthoritarian – no indigenous autonomy

Independence/new country Independence/new country

1810-19111810-1911– wave of revolutions across Latin America wave of revolutions across Latin America

in early 19in early 19thth century century– popular rebellion against Spanish rule led popular rebellion against Spanish rule led

by Miguel Hidalgo by Miguel Hidalgo Spain recognized Spain recognized Mexico’s independence in 1810Mexico’s independence in 1810

– Independence followed by instabilityIndependence followed by instability 36 presidents in 22 years36 presidents in 22 years rise of the militaryrise of the military domination by the USAdomination by the USA liberal vs. conservative struggleliberal vs. conservative struggle

– Constitutionalism vs. authoritarianismConstitutionalism vs. authoritarianism