Part 1

MEXICO

one of the great revolutions in world history modern constitution A middle income country longest ruling single-party government in history nationalization of subsoil rights
managed reliance on export earnings

slow transition to democracy

greater consolidation, less risk of regression

transition from state-led development to neoliberal economic policy

Comparative revolutions, early 20th century

Russia

(1917) China (1911) Mexico (1910)

compare:

motivations characteristics outcomes

Comparative revolutions: motivations

Russia:
defeat authoritarian government; implement Marxist ideology

China:
Drive out foreign devils; defeat authoritarian, weak government; assert nationalism

Mexico:
Defeat authoritarian government; break dependence on foreign nations; elite power struggle

Comparative revolutions: characteristics

Russia:
led by V.I. Lenin and Bolsheviks; violent, sudden change; carried out in middle of WW I

China:
regional warlordism; violent, sudden change; chaotic, competing forces

Mexico:
conflict among elites joined by populist forces; sudden, violent change; chaotic, competing forces

Comparative revolutions: outcomes

Russia:
4 years of civil war; triumph of MarxismLeninism; one-party state

China:
years of chaos, 2 competing forces; triumph of Maoism; one-party state

Mexico:
years of violence, instability; elites umbrellaed under PRI for stability; one-party state

the Mexican miracle: a model for LDCs rapidly increasing GNP orderly transition from authoritarian to democratic government
problems: drop in oil prices, 1980s mounting debt ethnic conflict political corruption, violence

 Mexico

as an NIC

PPP $14,200 58% employed in service sector economically a developing country politically a transitional democracy

sovereignty, authority and power

great fluctuation in sources of public authority from arrival of Spaniards in early 16th century to independence, 1821: rule by viceroy centralized, authoritarian rule, no participation by indigenous people from independence to mid-20th century: rule by military generals late 20th century: economic growth democratization

legitimacy

Revolution of 1910-11: source of legitimacy revolution as a pathway to change charismatic legitimacy admiration for leaders: Miguel Hidalgo, Benito Juarez, Emilioi Zapata, Panch Villa, Lazaro Cardenas revolution legitimized by formation of Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in 1929 no successful challenge until late 20th century

historical traditions

3 stages: colonialism chaos of 19th early 20th centuries recent period of economic growth 4 issues: authoritarianism populism power plays/divisions within the elite instability and legitimacy

political culture

strong sense of national identification based on common history, dominant religion and language religion:
until 1920s. Catholic Church participated actively in politics revolutionary era of early 20th century, government moved toward an anti-cleric position population largely devout Catholics whose religious beliefs influence their political values and actions

political culture, cont.

patron-clientelism: the glue that held an agrarian society together network of camarillas pressure to change due to democratization and industrialization PRIs loss of influence: a sign of decline of clientelism? corporatism still plays a significant role in policymaking

Economic dependency: Mexico has always been under the economic shadow of a more powerful country (Spain USA)

geographic influence

extreme geographic diversity

mountains and deserts: separate regions, communications and transportation, limit productive agriculture varied climates natural resources: abundance of oil, silver border with USA: migration and dependency issues population: worlds most populous Spanishspeaking country urbanization: s of population lives in cities of interior or along coasts

Political and economic change

long history of authoritarian government Spanish colonial rule: unlike British approach, allowed no local autonomy mestizaje: unlike British, Spanish colonizers engaged in deliberate racial mixing, strict racial hierarchies haciendas: caused indigenous people to lose control of the land

20th century: populism, violence, instability recent trend toward democratization

Economic change: for most of its history, Mexicos economy was rooted in the primary sector: agriculture and mining influence of USA: drive to industrialize encouragement of foreign investment dependency on foreign economies struggle to manage dependence on oil today, moving rapidly toward industrial or even post-industrial economy

colonialism

Spain, 1519 1821 social hierarchy cultural heterogeneity: mixing of populations 60% of Mexicans today are mestizo Catholicism: aggressive and extensive missionary drive economic dependency : controlled by mother country, existed to enrich it authoritarian no indigenous autonomy

Independence/new country

1810-1911
wave of revolutions across Latin America in early 19th century popular rebellion against Spanish rule led by Miguel Hidalgo Spain recognized Mexicos independence in 1810 Independence followed by instability
36

presidents in 22 years rise of the military domination by the USA liberal vs. conservative struggle
Constitutionalism vs. authoritarianism