AP Comp Gov Mexico Vocab

Patron-clientism

A social order that relies on the exchange of goods and services for political support.

Head of state

The individual who serves as the chief public representative of a country.

Head of government

The person responsible for running the government and implementing policies.

Sexenio

A six-year term of office for the President of Mexico.

Non Governmental organization

An organization that operates independently from the government, often focused on social or political issues.

Bicameral

A legislative system with two separate chambers or houses.

Chamber of deputies

The lower house of the Mexican legislature, responsible for initiating legislation.

Lower (legislative) house

The chamber in a bicameral legislature that typically has more members and represents smaller districts.

Senate

The upper house of the Mexican legislature, which reviews legislation passed by the lower house.

Upper (legislative) house

The chamber in a bicameral legislature that usually has fewer members and represents larger districts.

Mixed electoral system

An electoral system that combines elements of both proportional representation and single-member districts.

Single member plurality system

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a district wins.

Proportional representation system

An electoral system that allocates seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives.

Protectionist economic policies

Policies aimed at protecting domestic industries from foreign competition.

Party List System [Mexico only]

An electoral system where parties present a list of candidates, and seats are allocated based on the proportion of votes received.

Nationalized industry

Industries that are owned and operated by the government.

Import substitution industrialization

An economic policy that encourages domestic production of goods to reduce reliance on imports.

Patronage

The practice of giving government jobs and favors to supporters and allies.

Mexican Chamber of deputies

The lower house of the Mexican Congress, responsible for legislative functions.

Mexican Senate

The upper house of the Mexican Congress, which reviews and approves legislation.

Chiapas rebellion

An armed uprising in 1994 by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation in the southern state of Chiapas.

Mestizos

People of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in Mexico.

Amerindian

Referring to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

“Mexican Miracle”

A period of rapid economic growth in Mexico from the 1940s to the 1970s.

PAN

The National Action Party, a major political party in Mexico.

PRI

The Institutional Revolutionary Party, a dominant political party in Mexico for much of the 20th century.

Morena

The National Regeneration Movement, a political party in Mexico founded in 2014.

Zapatistas

A revolutionary group in Mexico advocating for Indigenous rights and social justice.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO)

The current President of Mexico, known for his leftist policies.

Claudia Sheinbaum

A prominent Mexican politician and member of Morena, serving as the Mayor of Mexico City.

“2 party transition” test

A concept assessing the stability and effectiveness of a two-party political system.

(INE) National Election Institute

The autonomous body responsible for organizing elections in Mexico.

Maquiladoras

Factories in Mexico that import materials and equipment on a duty-free and tariff-free basis for assembly and export.

NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement, a trade agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Party List system

An electoral system where parties create lists of candidates and seats are allocated based on the proportion of votes received.