POLITICAL FUNCTION AND BEHAVIOR MEXICO

POLITICAL FUNCTION AND BEHAVIOR MEXICO

KEY TERMS Mestizo Amerindian Indigenous Modernization poverty line fuero obligatory Vote buying

HOW POWERFUL IS MEXICO?

MEXICO CLEAVAGES ETHNIC GROUPING: MESTIZO 62%; PREDOMINANTLY AMERINDIAN 21%; AMERINDIAN 7%; OTHER 10% LANGUAGES: SPANISH 93%; INDIGENOUS 6% RELIGIONS: ROMAN CATHOLIC: 83%; PENTECOSTAL 2%; JEHOVAH S WITNESSES 1.5% POPULATION: 121,700,000

POLICY CHALLENGES MODERNIZATION IS A KEY CHALLENGE OF MEXICO IN THE 21 ST CENTURY MEXICO IS PRODUCING TOO FEW JOBS FOR THE YOUNG AND THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS NEEDING TO ADVANCE ALMOST HALF THE POPULATION LIVES BELOW THE OFFICIAL POVERTY LINE

THERE IS A LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE AFFLUENT URBANIZED MODERN NORTHERN STATES AND THE POOR, RURAL INDIGENOUS SOUTH MEXICO HAS TO COMPETE WITH CHINA AS AN EXPORTER OF MANUFACTURED GOODS POLICY CHALLENGES

POLICY CHALLENGES THERE IS ALSO A PUSH TO RENOVATE OIL, ELECTRICITY, AND NATURAL GAS

POLICY CHALLENGES DRUG TRAFFICKING AND THE CRIMES THAT GO ALONG WITH IT HAVE BECOME THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN MEXICO CURRENT PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON HAS WAGED AN ALL OUT WAR AGAINST THE CARTELS ELECTION RULES IS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED TO CLOSE LOOPHOLES DURING CAMPAIGNING. THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO PERMIT THE RE-ELECTION OF LEGISLATORS. THE ELIMINATION OF THE FUERO WILL ALSO REDUCE CORRUPTION

POLITICAL CULTURE

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN MEXICO HAS BEEN OF 2 BROAD TYPES: FORMAL ACTIVATES SUCH AS VOTING OR ATTENDING RALLIES PETITIONING/CONTACTING PUBLIC OFFICIALS VOTING IN MEXICO IS OBLIGATORY BUT THERE ARE NO PENALTIES FOR NOT VOTING.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATION IS MIXED IN MEXICO PEOPLE RECEIVE A PAYOFF (FREE MEAL, RAFFLE TICKET, T-SHIRT) OR THEY CAN SEE AN ECONOMIC LOSS FOR NOT VOTERS ARE WILLING TO SELL THEIR VOTES FOR HANDOUTS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION SINCE 1994 MEXICO HAS HAD AN EXPLOSION OF PARTICIPATION NONSTOP PROTESTS AND INCREASED VOTER TURN OUT FOR FEDERAL ELECTIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN MEXICO WHY? A COMBINATION OF BELIEF SOMEONE WILL ATTACK CORRUPTION, AND VOTER PAY OUT

POLITICAL CULTURE MEXICANS ARE HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS THAT EVOLVED FROM THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION THEY ARE MORE WILLING TO ENDORSE IDEAS FROM THE 1917 CONSTITUTION HOWEVER MEXICANS ARE CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF CREATING JOBS, REDUCING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, FIGHTING CRIME AND FIGHTING THE DRUG CARTELS.

HOW CORRUPT IS MEXICO?

MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS

DRUG CARTEL VS. OIL

MEXICANS VIEW POLITICIANS AS DISTANCE, ELITIST, AND SELF SERVING IF NOT CORRUPT. MEXICANS UNDERSTAND THE CONSTANT CYCLE OF CORRUPTION BUT TODAY THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A STRONGER ABILITY TO CHANGE THE COURSE THROUGH VOTING POLITICAL CULTURE

POLITICAL CULTURE VOTE BUYING IS AN ACCEPTED PRACTICE IN MEXICO DESPITE THE DISTRUST OF THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM THEY STILL HAVE A HOPE THAT THESE PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED BY THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADMINISTRATION MEXICANS ALSO APPEAR MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PERSUASIVE CAMPAIGN APPEALS THAN OTHER DEMOCRATIC NATIONS IN THE WORLD.

POLITICAL DISCUSSION DISCUSS MEXICANS CONFLICTED RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR POLITICAL SYSTEM DISCUSS THE EFFECTS OF MEXICO S POLICIES, FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME, THE RULE OF LAW, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

MEXICAN TOWNS DEFEND THEMSELVES

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS HOW DOES GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE IN DEALING WITH PUBLIC SECURITY THREATS LIKE DRUG TRAFFICKING AFFECT POLITICAL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR IN MEXICO? WHAT STRATEGIES WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MAINTAINING PUBLIC SUPPORT? TO WHAT EXTENT, AND IN WHAT WAYS, DO PERSISTENT POVERTY AND SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY AFFECT HOW DEMOCRACY FUNCTIONS IN MEXICO TODAY? WHAT POLICIES WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING SUCH INEQUALITY?