Democracy in "Two Mexicos" Political Institutions in Oaxaca and Nuevo León

by Correa-Cabrera, Guadalupe

• ISBN13: 9781137263025
• ISBN10: 1137263024
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-02-13
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

This book provides an explanation of some of the root causes of civil upheaval and violent political conflict in Mexico by examining the cases of Oaxaca and Nuevo León in the period from 2000 to 2006. Oaxaca and Nuevo León represent "two Mexicos": the rich Mexico and the poor Mexico. The author assesses two main groups of explanatory factorssocioeconomic and institutionaland examines some of the mechanisms through which these variables operate and interact with other factors (e.g., resources, opportunities, and government actions) to generate massive political turmoil. The evidence presented shows that institutional factors are the primary sources of major political conflict in Mexico. Socioeconomic factors are significant but not predominant.

Author Biography

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera is an Assistant Professor in the Government Department of the University of Texas at Brownsville. Her areas of expertise are comparative politics, Mexican politics, Mexico-US relations, and border studies. Correa-Cabrera's current research analyzes conflict and violence in the Mexican states and in the Texas-Tamaulipas border region in particular.

Table of Contents

Introduction
PART I: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND METHODOLOGY
Political Factionalism in 'Democratic' Mexico: The Context, the Variables, and the Main Actors
Explaining Political Factionalism in 'Two Mexicos': An Empirical Approach
CASE STUDY 1: OAXACA
Political Contention in a Southern Mexican State: Oaxaca
Four Episodes of Political Factionalism in Oaxaca
Explaining Political Factionalism in a Poor Southern Mexican State
CASE STUDY 2: NUEVO LEÓN
Politics and the Economy in Northern Mexico: Nuevo LeÓn
Explaining Political Cohesion in a Rich Northern Mexican State

Conclusion. Effective Rules, Economic Inclusion, and Political Stability: Lessons for Young and Unequal Democracies
Epilogue: Mexico After 2006 and the Case of Nuevo LeÓn