Mexico Study Guide
Compare Northern Mexico with the region south of Mexico City
*North* - Dry/mountainous - Population more prosperous (Partly b/c involved in trade w/ US) -Substantial mid-class w/ ~ high levels of edu., - Big supporters of market-based eco *South* - Subtropical - Ppl less influenced by urban areas/US - Amerindian > Eur - Average incomes less than North - Believe central govt = repressive
Know the common distribution of economic sectors (Primary, secondary, and tertiary) between post-industrialized and less industrialized countries
*Primary* - Agriculture - Largest in low-income, preindustrial nations - Ex. Raising animals, farming, mining *Secondary* - Industry - Grows quickly as societies industrialize - as industrial sector grows, its population begins to migrate from rural -> urban Ex. Refining petroleum, turning metals -> tools/cars *Tertiary* - Involves services rather than goods - Grows with industrialization and dominates post-industrial societies - Ex. Transportation, finance, real estate, government
Describe the changes to the institution of the Mexican presidency that have occurred since the 1990s (a) What powers have the office retained? (b) What powers have been limited since the early 1990s?
(a) - Appt members of cabinet/ambassadors - Command army/navy/air force - Declare war/peace w/ prior authorization from Congress - Negotiate foreign treaties - Veto laws passed by Congress - Introduce bills to Congress (b) - General of his own armed power base - Fill every level of govt with pol loyalists
(a) Is Mexico categorized as a liberal democracy? (b) Why or why not?
(a) No (b) It has been transitioning from authoritarian to democratic (Has dev some democratic characteristics, but still has many qualities of its authoritarian past)
Identify and describe the two houses in the Mexican Legislature
*Chamber of Deputies* - Directly elected - 500 members ~ 300 = SMD ~ 200 = Proportional Rep - 3 yr terms *Senate* - Directly elected - 128 members ~ 3 senator's from 31 states + Mexico City ~ Remaining = Proportional Rep - 6 yr terms
Describe the consequences of Mexico's rapid economic growth
*Growing Gap Between the Rich and the Poor* - No attention to equality/social justice - 40% of population never earning more than 11% of total wages *Rapid/Unplanned Urbanization* - Millions migrated to cities, resulting in major cities -> shantytowns w/ no water/electricity - Poor highway planning -> traffic congestion - Pollution = air unsafe to breathe
Compare Mexico's Revolution of 1910 and China's Revolution of 1911. What are the similarities?
*Mexico (1910)* - Motivations: Defeat auth govt; break dependency on foreign govt's; elite power struggle - Characteristics: Began as conflict among elites; joined by populists forces; sudden, violent change; chaotic competing forces - Outcomes: Years of violence/instability; elites "umbrella-ed" under PRI for stability; one-party state *China (1911)* - Motivations: Drive out "foreign devils"; defeat auth, weak govt.; assert natl-ism - Characteristics: Regional warlordism; violent, sudden change; chaotic competing forces - Outcomes: Years of chaos; two competing forces triumph of Maoism; one-party state
Compare the party systems between Mexico, Russia, and Britain
*Mexico* - System: Multi-party - Relationship to Leg: 3 parties well-represented - Relationship to Exec: Unclear pattern, papers competitive - Types of Parties: Left & right; party in previous one-party system still competitive *Russia* - System: Multi-party - Relationship to Leg: 1 party dominates - Relationship to Exec: 1 party dominates - Types of Parties: Parties of power common; party in previous one-party system still competitive *Britain* - System: Multi-party - Relationship to Leg: 2 parties dominate - Relationship to Exec: 1 party dominates - Types of Parties: Left/center/right; regional parties relatively strong
Describe a few policy initiatives taken by a Mexican president since the early 1990s and assess the success of the initiatives
*NAFTA* - Mostly successful for Mexico *War On Drugs* - Unsuccessful
Explain the differences between newly industrializing and less developed countries
*NICs* - After experiencing eco growth and democratization, now exhibit many characteristics of adv. demos (Ex. ~pol/soc. stability) *LDCs* - Experience pol/soc change, but don't develop distinct characteristics of advanced democracies
Describe the representation of women in the Mexican Legislature
- 2002: Election law that required political parties to sponsor women candidates - Parties must run at least 30% women for both proportional representation and SMDs/SMStates ~ PRI = 50%
Describe Mexico's Population and its distribution
- 65% = Mestizo (most wealth/power) - 17.5% = Amerindian - 16.5% = Predominantly White/European decent
Ejidos
- Collective land grants - Taken from land of big landlords/foreigners and redistributed to be worked by the peasants
Describe the PRD
- Democratic Revolutionary Party - Party to PRI's left - Has had trouble defining a left-of-center alternative to the market-centered policies set by PRI - Appeals to the young, populists, some intellectuals - Main strength is in the Mexico City area
"Mexican Miracle"
- Described the 1980s when Mexico had a rapidly increasing GNP in orderly transition from an authoritarian -> democratic govt.
Economic Liberation
- Eco dev based on free marked capitalism - Expands private ownership (*Privatization*) and allows free market principles to govern the economy (*Marketization*)
PEMEX
- Giant state-owned oil company formed after Mexico claimed control of all petroleum reserves, and ordered foreign companies to leave - Ex of much industry put under control of state during time of Diaz
Describe the PRI
- Institutional Revolutionary Party - Ruled as a one-party system (1929-late 20th century) - Corporatist structure that brought competing elites into the cabinet - Patron-client system that included most people in the country - Appeals to rural people, residents of southern Mexico - 2012 Pres. election: Won broad support in the north
Neo-Corporatism
- Interest groups take the lead and dominate the state
Know the provisions of the Mexican Constitution of 1917
- Judicial review - 3 branches of government - Elected legislature - The Sexenio for the president (6 yr term)
Describe the PAN
- National Action Party -Party to PRI's right - PRI's oldest opposition party, created to represent business interests - Advocates regional autonomy, less government intervention in the economy - Good rapport with the Catholic Church - Appeals to middle class, northerners, and those with higher levels of edu.
NAFTA
- North American Free Trade Agreement - Mex, Canada, US - Goal: to more closely integrate the eco's by eliminating tariffs & reducing restrictions so that companies can expand into all countries freely
Camarillas
- Patron-client networks - Extends to vote-mobilizing organizations throughout the country .
Describe Mexico's "Porfiriato" period
- Reign of President Porfirio Diaz (1876-1911) - *Stability:* No fighting <-> camarillas , and no revolution until 1911 - *Eco Growth:* Diaz Centralized control over all decision making in Mex eco, and invited foreign investment to dev Mex industry, particularly mining. - *Inequality:* Many peasants were dispossessed of their land to make room for major mining operations - Elite became wealthy, poor stayed poor
Mexican Patron-Clientelism
- System of cliques based on personal connections and charismatic leadership - "You scratch my back , I'll scratch yours" - Glue that has had an agrarian Mexico together
Why did Mexico's economy plummet during the early 1980's
- The Mexican Miracle was a result of the high oil production and inflated oil prices, which came crashing down in 1982
State Corporatism
- The state (Or in Mexico, the President) determines who represents different groups to the government
Political Liberalization
- When a state progresses from *Procedural Democracy* (regular competitive elections) -> *Substantive Democracy* (civil liberties, rule of law, and open civil society) through consolidations. - This eventually leads other states to recognize them as liberal dynasties * Mexico ~ Sub. dem; it's hard to classify it b/c it's been a gem for <100yrs
Label the presidents since 2000 by party affiliation
2000: Vicente Fox (PAN) 2006: Felipe Calderón (PAN) 2012: Peña Nieto (PRI)
Which areas of Mexico have seen the most drastic spike in drug-related violence since 2007?
Cities (mostly in the north)
What is the major policy issue facing mexico today?
Corruption?
What type of government structure exists in Mexico? How does is compare to the other countries we've covered?
Federal Republic (But traditionally a state corporatist structure); presidential system
How are officials elected in Mexico?
Pres = Plurality; No run-offs Congress = Dual-System of plurality and proportional rep
Compare the Mexican and Chinese judicial systems. Which constitution provides for judicial review?
Mexico has judicial review; China does not
What does a country's GINI measure?
The amount of economic inequality in a society
What was the main goal of NAFTA?
To more closely integrate the economies by eliminating tariffs and reducing restrictions so that companies can expand to all countries freely
