APCG Mexico

Political History of Mexico

• post-revolutionary period (1920s-1930s) after the revolution 1910-1920, the PRI emerged to unify factions

• 1938: Oil Nationalization under Lazaro Cardenas; major land reforms

• Mexican Miracle: 1940s-1980s economic growth, industrialization, and urbanization

• democratization (1990s-2000s): electoral reforms, 2000 victory of Vincente fox ended PRI’s 71 year rule

PRI Dominance (1940-1980s)

hegemonic party; corporatist system incorporating labor, peasants, business elites

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 authority

Independence/New Country

Years 1810-1911

Spain recognized independence in 1810

• independence followed by instability

  • 36 presidents in 22 years

  • rise of military

  • domination by USA

  • liberal vs conservative struggle

  • constitutionalism vs authoritarianism

The Porfiriato (1876-1911)

• military coup staged by Porfirio Diaz in 1876

• promised to seve a single term, instead ruled for 34 years

• installed the Cientificos (people who supported scientific and economic progress in Mexico

• authoritarian regime —> gives political stability

• influences:

  • stability through authoritarianism

  • foreign investment and economic growth

  • growing gap between rich and poor

  • competition among elites ended Diaz’s regime with a coup from within revolution of 1910

Chaotic Early 20th Century

• after kicking Porfirio Diaz

• revolution of 1911 set off a period of warlordism and popular uprisings that lasted until 1934

• Influences:

  • patron-clientelism

  • constitution of 1917

  • conflict with catholic church

  • Establishment of PRI

Patron-clientelism

if you support me, I will support you in return, creating a mutually beneficial relationship often seen in political systems.

Cardenas Upheaval 1934-1940

Lazaro Cardenas: Roosevelt of mexico: stabilized and radicalized mexican politics

• redistribution of land - ejidos

• nationalization of industry

• investment in public works

• encouragement of peasant and union organization

• concentration of power in the presidency

• import substitution industrialization

President Miguel Aleman

rejected many Cardena’s socialist reforms 6 years after Cardenas left the office

promoted economics liberalization

next president shifted emphasis back

Technicos

educated business oriented leaders took control of the government and PRI: moderate, free-market approach

Neoliberalism

free market

balanced budget

privatization

free trade

limited government intervention in economy

Mexican Miracle

huge GNP growth based on oil

• followed by oil bust

Political Culture of Mexico

• authoritarian legacy

• corporatism

• populism

• religion and politics

• regionalism

authoritarian legacy

• long PRI dominance fostered state control and clientelism

corporatism

state mediated relations between peasants, workers, and business elites

Populism

leaders want popularity by funding/donating to citizens

• redistribution promises

religion and politics

catholic church remains influential despite secular state

revolutionary legacy

government claimed legitimacy from 1910 revolutions land reforms

performance legitimacy

economic growth during mexican miracle bolstered PRI rule

democratic legitimacy

post 2000 free and fair elections strengthened political system legitimacy

populist legitimacy

amlo uses anti-elite rhetoric and social programs to maintain support

political tradition in mexico

• corporatist tradition

  • pri incorporated unions, peasants, and business groups into governance

• strong presidency

  • The Constitution grants extensive powers

• nationalism

  • sovereignty over natural resources

• mass mobilization

  • revolutionary traadition fosters popular participation

government system of mexico

federal presidential republic

• constitution 1917

• federal structure

• separation of powers: 3 branches operate independently

president

elected directly for single six year term

• no reelection

• head of state

• commander in chief

• conducts foreign policy

• proposes legislation

• appoints cabinets and oversees the executive branch.

sexenio

6 year term single

sexenio pro

• prevents authoritarianism

  • cannot be a dictator due to limited time

  • long term planning

  • reduces populism

  • promote political diversity and rotation

sexenio cons

• lack of accountability

• policy discontinuity

• leads to corruption

• lame duck problem

  • ineffective influence: president power loss some period before end of term

legislative

bicameral

• chamber of deputies

  • fptp 300

  • 200 pr

  • 3 years per term

• senate

  • 96 state elected

  • 32 pr

  • 6 years per term

bureaucracy

• extremely large

• paid very little but those at high levels have much power

election system

presidential elections: direct popular vote; plurality wins

legislative elections

state & local elections: governors and legislatures elected separately: terms vary by state

Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE)

• ensures fair elections since 1990

• department to ensure transparency and fair election

voting patterns

• pri dominance 1929-2000

• post 2000 competitiveness

• current patterns: morena dominant

Regional divides

north:

• industrial, conservative

  • pan

south:

• rural

  • prd, morena

parties voting patterns

PRI: small town, rural, less educated, older, poorer, south

PAN: north, middle-class, urban, better educated, religious

PRD: younger, politically active, some education, small town or urban, some middle-class supporters

morena: low income, working class, small town population, elderly citizens

ethnicity in mexico

• mestizo majority (60-65%)

  • mixed indigenous and european ancestry

  • dominant culturally and politically

• Amerindians/indigenous people (15-20%)

  • over 60 groups

  • concentrated in southern states

• European descended (10-15%)

  • urban and wealthier regions

• Afro-Mexican (~2%)

  • reside along pacific and gulf coasts

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)

hegemonic (monopoly) for 71 years

• coalition of elites

• corporatist structure

• patron-client system

• lost presidency in 2000 but gained majority in legislative house in 2009

• appeal to rural people, southern mexico

National Action Party (PAN)

• conservative, pro-business, catholic influence

• broke PRI dominance in 2000

• created for business opposed to centralization and anti-clericism

• strongest support in North

• regional autonomy

• less government intervention in economy

• fair elections

• rapport with the Catholic Church

• support for private and religious education

• won presidential election in 2000, 2006

Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)

• leftist PRI dissidents

• advocated democratization and indigenous rights

• weakened after MORENA rise

National Regeneration Movement (MORENA)

Andres Manuel Lopez Orbrador (AMLO)

• left wing populist

• progressive, nationalist

• first successful national leftist movement

Democratization of Mexico

Reforms: 1990 creation of federal electoral institute (IFE/INE) for independent oversight

challenges: corruption, electoral violence, influence of drug cartels

Cleavages in Mexico

ethnic

• indigenous

• mestizos

regional

• north (wealthier)

• south (poorer)

religious

• catholic majority

• growing protestant minorities

economic class

• urban elites

• rural poor

Crisis in mexico

growing gap between rich and the poor

• because of the austerity program, budget cuts led to a reduction in subsidies and work programs for the lower class and the Amerindians to the south

Urbanization

• settled in slums and empty lots

• traffic and pollution worsen

Lazaro Cardenas 1934-1940

nationalized oil PEMEX in 1938

• expanded land redistribution

• strengthened state corporatism

Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000)

• his presidency was marked by a struggling economy

• paved way to rise of PAN

Vincente Fox 2000-2006

• first non-PRI president

• ended PRI dominance

• promoted democratic reforms

Felipe Calderon (2006-2012)

• PAN

• launched militarized war on drugs

• escalating cartel violence

Enrique Pena Nieto (2012-2018)

• PRI

• introduced structural reforms

• plagued by corruption scandals

Andres Manuel Lopez Orbrador (AMLO) (2018-2024)

• founder of morena

• left wing populist

• social programs

• centralization

• energy nationalism

Claudia Sheinbaum pardo (2024-present)

• first woman president

• continues morena’s progressive and social welfare agenda

Mexican revolution 1910-1920

overthrew porfirio diaz led to 1917 constitution emphasizing land and labor rights

PRI hegemony (1929-2000)

• one party dominance through corporatism

• clientelism

• controlled elections

1988 contested election

• alleged fraud in salinas’s victory sparked electoral reform demands

1994 nafta and zapatista uprising

• EZLN rebellion for indigenous rights and autonomy

1997 electoral reform

• opposition gained congress control

• IFE strengthened

reforms in mexico

• sharp cuts in government spending

• austerity program removed jobs, benefits, and agencies

→ due to debt to US and other foreign governments

• pemex failed privatization

Court system of mexico

• supreme court of justice

  • highest court

  • appointed by president and confirmed by senate

• federal judiciary council

  • oversee administration

  • discipline of federal courts

• electoral tribunal

  • handles electoral disputes and certifies presidential elections

• lower federal courts

  • circuit courts

  • district courts

• civil law tradition

• judicial review powers

• increased independence

supreme court in mexico

• autonomy

however:

• not flexed judicial review pwoer because of president & drug cartel

media in mexico

government exerts indirect pressure through advertising and licensing

NGOs in mexico

control level: low to moderate but politically monitored

civil society

long standing, lively civil society

major industries in mexico

• automotive and manufacturing

• oil and energy : PEMEX

  • PAN want to privatize

  • MORENA want to nationalize

• agricultural

• tourism

• mining: silver, gold

economic system

mixed economy: state and private control

• heavily reliant on exports, oil revenues

government control

media; moderate to high

ngos; low to moderate

oil; high

manufacturing; low

agriculture; low to moderate

political corruption

• systemic and widespread corruption across government levels

• fueled by weak institutions

• embezzlement (몰래 돈빼기)

• bribery

• contract fraud

camarillas in mexico politics

carmarilla: informal political cliques or patronage networks

• still present in modern parties

political crime

• assasination of candidates and elected officials

• election cycles often marked by high political violence

riots and rebellions

• 2017 gasolinazo protests triggered national unrest

• zapatista uprising 1994

  • demanded indigenous rights and autonomy

Drug problem in mexico

• openly fight against each other and law enforcement with extreme violence

mexico’s military

• civilian led military with growing domestic responsibilities

  • drug enforcement

  • infrastructure

  • customs

  • public safety

NAFTA

• nafta: signed in 1995

  • eliminated trade barriers with us and canada

goal: more closely integrated economies by eliminating tariffs and reducing restriction on international expansion of companies

Maquiladora

manufacturing zones created in northern mexico near usa border to produce consumer goods for us in plants that were created to transform imported, duty free components or raw materials into finished insutrial products