Walpes Ch. 3: Mexico

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement; allows open trade with US, Mexico, and Canada.

Neoliberalism

A strategy for economic development that calls for free markets, balanced budgets, privatization, free trade, and minimal government intervention in the economy.

Mestizo

A person of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry.

Caudillo

a military dictator of a Latin American country

Anticlericalism

Opposition to the power of churches or clergy in politics. In some countries, for example, France and Mexico, this opposition has focused on the role of the Catholic Church in politics.

Institutional Revolutionary Party

(PRI) the political party introduced in 1929 in Mexico that helped to introduce democracy and maintain political stability for much of the 20th century

Sexenio

The six-year administration of Mexican presidents.

PEMEX

Mexican Petroleum; a government agency that runs the oil industry in Mexico

Import substitution industrialization (ISI)

Strategy for industrialization based on domestic manufacture of previously imported goods to satisfy domestic market demands.

MORENA (National Regeneration Movement)

New leftist political party formed by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a two-time presidential candidate for the PRD

Vincent Fox

President elected in 2000, his election ended the same political party being in control for 71 years in Mexico.

patron-clientelism

When those in power offer benefits to citizens in exchange for political support

Head of state

The symbolic representative of a country.

Head of government

the key executive in the policymaking process

Cabinet head

An official appointed to run a government department with a specific policy area.

Nongovernmental organization (NGO)

a nonprofit group outside the government's control.

Bicameral

a legislature with two chambers

Chamber of Deputies

The elected lower house of the mexican congress, which has the power to pass legislation, levy, taxes, approve the budget, and certify elections.

Lower House

The legislative body in a bicameral system that typically has more members, shorter terms, and less prestige than the upper house, but it may be the more powerful body in the legislature.

Senate

The elected upper house of the Mexican Congress, which has the power to confirm appointments, ratify treaties, and approve federal intervention in the states.

Upper House

The legislative body in a bicameral system that typically has fewer members and may have more prestige but less power than the lower house.

Civil Society

Groups that form outside the government's control.

Mandate

The broad support of the people to carry out proposed policies

Mixed electoral system

A system for electing members of the legislature that includes both single-member districts and seats awarded through proportional representation.

Single-member plurality system (SMD)

A system in which the candidate who earns the most votes in a district wins a seat in the legislature.

Proportional representation (PR) system

A system in which seats in the legislature are awarded according to the percentage of votes a party receives.

Corporatism

A system in which the state controls interest groups and chooses the ones it wishes to recognize.

peak associations

An organization authorized by the government to represent a group, such as labor, business, or agriculture.

Pluralism

A system in which groups are allowed to form and advocate for their interests outside of government control.

Political Culture

A set of collectively held attitudes, values, and beliefs about government and politics, and the norms of behavior in the political system.

Civil liberties

Fundamental rights and freedoms protected from infringement by the government.

Civil rights

Protections granted by the government to prevent people from being discriminated against when engaged in fundamental political actions, such as voting.

social cleavages

A division in society among social factors such as ethnicity, class, religion, or language.

Political cleavage

A division among citizens according to political beliefs.

economic liberalism

economic policies that support the free market and reduce trade barriers.

Globalization

The increased interconnectedness of people, states, and economies.

Protectionist economic policies

policies designed to protect the domestic industry and reduce foreign influence.

Nationalized industry

A state-owned company controlled by the government.

Privatization

When a government transfers ownership and control of a nationalized industry to the private sectors.