Mexico

Welcome to Mexico: From One-Party Rule to Multiparty Democracy

In this chapter, we explore Mexico, a country that has undergone a massive transformation over the last few decades. For most of the 20th century, Mexico was dominated by a single political party. Today, it is a federal, multiparty democracy. Understanding Mexico is essential for the AP exam because it provides a perfect example of democratization—the long-term, uneven process of moving from an authoritarian-leaning system to a democratic one.

1. The Framework of Power: Federalism and the Presidency

Mexico’s official name is the United Mexican States, and its structure reflects that. It is a federal system, which means it divides power between a central national government and smaller regional governments (states). This is different from the unitary systems found in China, Iran, or the United Kingdom, where the central government holds almost all the power.

The President: Head of State and Government

Mexico uses a congressional-presidential system. In this system, the President wears two hats:
1. Head of State: The symbolic representative of the country.
2. Head of Government: The person in charge of running the day-to-day executive branch and making policy.

How is the President elected?
The President is directly elected by the people using a plurality system. This means the candidate who gets the most votes wins, even if they do not receive a majority (more than \(50\%\)) of the total votes cast.

The Rule of Term Limits
Mexico has strict executive term limits. A President can only serve one term.
Why does this matter? The advantage is that it prevents any one person from becoming a dictator. The disadvantage is that it can lead to "lame duck" periods where the President loses influence toward the end of their term because they cannot be re-elected.

Key Takeaway: Mexico is a federal state with a powerful President who serves a single term and is elected by plurality.

2. The Legislative and Judicial Branches

The legislative branch in Mexico is called the Congress of the Union. Its job is to pass laws and check the power of the President. While Mexico was a dominant-party state for years, the Congress has become much more independent and competitive as Mexico transitioned to a true multiparty system.

The Judiciary

Mexico’s highest court is the Supreme Court.
• Appointment: Magistrates (judges) are appointed to the court through a formal process involving the President and the legislature.
• Judicial Review: The court has the power of judicial review, which means it can look at laws or government actions and decide if they are constitutional. This is a key part of the rule of law, ensuring that everyone (including the government) follows the same rules.

Quick Tip: Remember that rule of law means the law applies to everyone equally, whereas rule by law (often seen in authoritarian regimes like China) means the government uses the law as a tool to control the people.

3. Political Parties and the Shift to Competition

For about \(70\) years, Mexico was a dominant-party system led by the PRI. Today, it is a multiparty system where several parties compete for power. The three most historically significant parties named in the curriculum are:

1. PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party): The party that dominated for decades through a mix of corporatism and patronage.
2. PAN (National Action Party): A center-right party that was the first to defeat the PRI in a presidential election in \(2000\).
3. PRD (Party of the Democratic Revolution): A center-left party that emerged as a challenger to the PRI's dominance.

Electoral Rules and Gender Quotas

Mexico has implemented specific rules to make its elections more representative:
• Gender Quotas: Mexico uses gender quotas to ensure that a certain percentage of candidates for office are women. This has significantly increased the number of women in the Mexican Congress.
• Transition of Power: Mexico is highlighted as a country that has successfully managed the peaceful transition of power between different political parties, which is a major sign of political stability and legitimacy.

4. Social Cleavages and Challenges

A cleavage is a social division that creates different "sides" in politics. Mexico faces several major cleavages that the government must manage to maintain legitimacy (the people's belief that the government has the right to rule).

North vs. South Division

There is a significant regional cleavage in Mexico:
• The North: Generally wealthier, more industrial, and more integrated into the global economy (due to proximity to the U.S.).
• The South: More rural, poorer, and has a higher indigenous population.

The Zapatista/Chiapas Uprising

In \(1994\), the Zapatista (EZLN) uprising broke out in the southern state of Chiapas. This movement was a response to economic inequality and the impact of NAFTA on indigenous farmers. It remains a key example of a social movement challenging the state's authority and demanding rights for marginalized groups.

Did you know? Local governments in Mexico have different policies on social issues. For example, abortion policies vary significantly from state to state, which is a common feature of federal systems where regional governments have their own law-making powers.

5. Globalization and the Economy

Mexico has moved toward economic liberalization—meaning the government has reduced its control over the economy to allow for more private competition and international trade.

Key Economic Concepts:

• NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement): This agreement significantly increased trade between Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. While it boosted industrial growth in the North, it also created challenges for farmers in the South.
• Pemex: This is Mexico’s state oil company. Oil is a nationalized resource in Mexico, meaning the government owns and controls it. This is a contrast to the "privatization" seen in other parts of the economy.
• Globalization: Mexico’s economy is highly interconnected with the global market, making it sensitive to international price changes, especially in the oil sector.

Key Takeaway: Mexico balances nationalized resources (like oil via Pemex) with economic liberalization and international trade agreements (like NAFTA).

Chapter Summary Checklist

• Regime Type: Federal, Congressional-Presidential.
• Executive: President (Head of State/Gov), single-term limit, elected by plurality.
• Legislature: Congress of the Union (Bicameral).
• Judiciary: Supreme Court with judicial review powers.
• Parties: Shift from PRI dominance to a multiparty system (PRI, PAN, PRD).
• Social: North/South cleavage; Zapatista uprising; use of gender quotas.
• Economy: Transition to economic liberalization; NAFTA; Pemex (state oil).

(Note: For a comparison of how Mexico's federal system differs from the UK's unitary system, see the chapter on the United Kingdom.)