STUDENT NOTES - 1

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STUDENT NOTES - 1

• CH. 5 The United Mexican States

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• Independence Movement
• Purity of the Catholic Faith
• Blood of National Heroes
• Aztec symbolism in the center legend tells that
  an eagle devouring a serpent on a cactus was to
  be the location of the capitol city

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CURRENT POLICY CHALLENGES

• Economy produces few jobs
• Educational system needs modernization
• Impoverished population
• Unequal distribution of income
• Environmental problems
• Barely functioning criminal justice system
• Catch up to trade partners/competitors
• Modernize agricultural sector
• Renovate energy sector
• Expand tax base
• Change election rules

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Why Study Mexico?

• Constitution of 1917 was model for other
  progressive movements in Latin America
• Longest single-party government in the modern
  world (1929-2000)
• Political system was very stable during 20th
  century
• Political economy is a classic example of the
  challenges and prospects of the transition from
  state-led development to neoliberal economic
  policy
• NAFTA relationship with United States

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OVERVIEW

• System of Government Presidentialjust like
  America
• Distribution of Power Federal Systemjust like
  America
• Electoral System Mixed System SMDP and PR
• Constitution Constitution of 1917
• Legislature Bicameral - Chamber of Deputies
  Senatejust like America
• Current Head of State Enrique Peña Nieto
• Head of Government Enrique Peña Nieto
• Current Ruling Party PRI
• Major Political Parties PRI, PAN, PRD

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THE MEXICAN STATE

• Constitutional republic
• Currently DEMOCRATIC REGIME
• Formal separation of powers
• Federal Presidential
• Political centralism concentration of decision
  making power in pres.
• 31 states and Federal District (like US have 50
  states plus DC)
• Each divided into municipios headed by mayor and
  council (kinda like US into counties/cities)
• Each layer of government successively weaker
• Subunits VERY dependent on national gov (funding)
• State governors retain control over resources

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Geographic Influence

• Never underestimate the power of simple geography
  to explain (or create) internal differences in a
  country.
• Mexico is one of the most geographically diverse
  countries in the world
• All this feeds into regionalism in the political
  culture
• Mountains and Deserts communication/transportati
  on difficult
• Varied Climates size creates different
  experiences
• Natural Resources create disproportional wealth
• A long border with the United States

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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• Originally occupied by the Mayan civilization
  about 1,000 years ago civilization then gave way
  to the Aztecs.
• SPANISH COLONIALISM
• Spanish incorporated native population into an
  elaborate hierarchy.
• Criollos, mestizos, indigenous
• Spanish haciendas formed on huge estates
• Catholic Church owned 1/3 of the country and
  forced Catholicism
• Spanish were not effective colonial leaders and
  were never able to secure rule throughout the
  country

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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• REVOLUTION OF 1810
• Miguel Hidalgo led rebellion from 1810-1821
• Parish Priest issued a call for the end of
  Spanish misrule in 1810
• Began a series of wars of independence that
  lasted for the next 11 years.
• Between 1833 and 1855 there were 36 presidential
  administrations
• Porfirio Diaz
• A military coup 1876 ruled for 34 years
• Dictatorship (authoritarian), stable,
  industrialization
• So made some economic progression, but many did
  not benefit
• Foreign influence HIGH (backlash think about
  the Shah)

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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• Countryside - loosely coordinated bands of
  peasants took up arms
• Labor - organized series of strikes in mines and
  mills
• Cities liberals rallied behind revolutionary
  Francisco Madero
• Won presidential nomination in 1910 under
  Anti-Reelectionist Party however, Diaz won
  election
• CIVIL WAR - Madero gathered supporters, started
  war against Diaz, who agreed to abdicate.

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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• Francisco Madero elected President and was soon
  assassinated political order in Mexico
  collapsed
• Peasant Revolts
• Emiliano Zapata
• Francisco (Pancho) Villa
• Venustiano Carranza
• Demanded agrarian reform
• All formed armies of landless peasants and poor
  industrial workers
• 1916, Carranza occupied Mexico City, led to
  elections and new constitutional assembly

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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• 1917 Constitution
• Current source of regime and legitimacy
• Democratic government, checks and balances,
  competitive elections
• Power of church limited, foreigners no longer
  allowed to own Mexican land or mineral resources
• 1928 President Plutarco Elias Calles
• Could not run for reelection under constitution
  SO to provide continuity from one presidency to
  another CREATE A POLITICAL PARTY to control
  nomination and election
• CALLES LEGACY regulated how succession would
  occur and instituted one party rule
• Mexico still sucked, just wasnt as violent

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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• Creation of Institutional Revolutionary Party
  (PRI) (1929)
• Stabilized conflict among leaders by
  institutionalizing one party
• 70 year reign the perfect dictatorship
• State and party merged into one
• Single-party controls access to political offices
  (ALL)
• Partido Revolucionario Institucional
  (CORPORATISM)
• Pendulum Theory back and forth policies brought
  on by changing PRI leaders
• Maintain power/limit revolution by encouraging
  loyalty
• Created stable government, BUT cost social
  reforms
• Established firm patron-client relationship

Notice how closely this resembles the flag
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II. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, POWEREVOLUTION OF
MEXICAN STATE

• When you dont feel like fixing an election
• Patron-client relationships (camarillas) aka
  corporatism
• Corporatism contrasts pluralism
• People are members of groups that make up society
• MX military, peasants, workers, middle class
• Leaders of camarillas can be co-opted by material
  reward (jobs) creates loyalty (votes)
• Heavy repression/reforms in times of criticism