Part 2 MEXICO The Porfiriato 1876 1911 u

Part 2 MEXICO

“The Porfiriato” (1876 -1911) u u u u u Military coup staged by Porfirio Diaz in 1876 promised to serve a single term, instead ruled for 34 years installed the cientificos influences: stability 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

the chaotic early 20 th century u Revolution of 1911 set off a period of warlordism and popular uprisings that lasted until 1934 u influences: u patron-clientelism Constitution of 1917 conflict with the Catholic Church – the Cristero Rebellion establishment of PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) : stabilized conflict u u u

The Cardenas Upheaval 1934 -1940 u u u Lazaro Cardenas: ‘the Roosevelt of Mexico’ stabliized and radicalized Mexican politics many changes: – – redistribution of land - ejidos nationalization of industry investments in public works encouragement of peasant and union organizations – concentration of power in the presidency u u import substitution industrialization state corporatism

The emergence of the technicos and the pendulum theory u u u u President Miguel Aleman rejected many of Cardenas’ socialist reforms promoted economic liberalization next president shifted emphasis back 1970 s: pendulum stopped, technicos took control of the government and PRI : moderate, free-market approach 1980 s: neoliberalism: free markets, balanced budgets, privatization, free trade, limited government intervention in the economy the ‘Mexican miracle’: huge GNP growth based on oil, followed by oil bust conflict between politicos and tecnicos

citizens, society, and the state u camarillas (patron-client networks) are interwoven into the fabric of Mexican politics – Clientelism gives the government the upper hand u u role of the citizen is changing as political parties become more competitive cleavages: – – u social class urban vs. rural mestizo vs. Amerindian north vs. south often cross-cutting, but recently have coincided: urban, middle-class, northern mestizos vs. rural, poor, southern Amerindians

political participation u u until recently, citizens lived under authoritarian rule by political elite participation characterized by revolution and protest u u now, increasing participation through legitimate, regular elections u patron-clientelism remains an important factor in political participation, but modernization tends to break this up – ‘networks’ get blurred in large population centers – more formal forms of participation are instituted

protests u co-optation: government responds to citizen demands by – accomodating their demands and – including protesters in the political process u major protests: – Zapatista uprising – Oaxaca pprotest

voting u before 1990, PRI controlled elections on local, state and national levels – high voting rates required by patronclient system – rampant corruption, challengers easily defeated u as competing parties began to pull support from PRI, influences on voting patterns can be seen: – region – education – income

civil society u u u long-standing, lively civil society, acceptance of public protest PRI practiced state corporatism divided interest groups into 3 sectors: – labor, peasants, middle class – each dominated by PRI-controlled groups civil society led to the downfall of PRI and formation of PAN in 1939 – disaffection of businessmen not incorporated into the government system – led to 2000 election of Vincente Fox – PRI’s state corporatism broken up

Political institutions u regime type: traditionally, state corporatist – central, authoritarian rule that allows input from interest groups outside of government – transitioning toward economic and political liberalization – in the middle ‘development’ stage

political parties for most of 20 th century, Mexico was virtually a one-party state u today, 3 parties, and competitive elections are a reality u (1) PRI: continuous power 1920 -2000 u – – coalition of elites corporatist structure patron-client system lost presidency in 2000 but gained majority in lower legislative house in 2009

u political parties, cont. u (2) PAN: founded as an opposition party in 1939 – created to represent business not included in PRI – opposed centralizaiton and anti-clericism – strongest support in North u u u regional autonomy less government intervention in economy fair elections rapport with Catholic Church support for private and religious education

u political parties, cont. u u (3) PRD ; PRI’s oppositon on the left – won 139: 500 seats in lower house in 1988, floowed by gains in 2006 and losses in 209 – struggled to define a left-of-center alternative to PRI’s market-oriented policies – poorly organized – current leader: Obrrador, Mayor of Mexico City