March 4 – Citizen and State Agenda: Citizen and State Reading: ISI HW: Annotate ISI reading and add to your notes Take Out Pen/Pencil Notebook

Citizen and State

Situation #1 If you were a member of the elite…what Democracy has come to Mexico Everyone can vote! Many illiterate Many peasants in rural areas (hard lives, need help to have livelihood) If you were a member of the elite…what concerns would you have?

Patron-Client System Emphasized… Elite decide who gets favors compromise among contending elites behind the scenes conflict resolution distribution of political rewards to those willing to play by informal and formal rules of game Elite decide who gets favors Clientelism: Informal policymaking relationship between individuals who provide goods/services to those in less strategic or powerful positions in return for their political or economic support.

In Mexico, Patron-client relationships work through Camarillas. You can learn a lot about Mexico by studying these camarillas: Relationship between citizen and state Why the party is so strong What gives the structure strength etc. People belong for any reason but the politics. A system of camarillas for 15 million.

What would you say is the purpose of Patron-Clientelism?

Problems Citizens sometimes benefited from patronage but legitimate channels to policymakers were few Relationship:

If this is the reality of citizen and state relationship… How does the government keep the people happy… especially when we know they have a history of protest and revolution? Are they satisfied? Why don’t the people get rid of the government?

Co-optation Incorporates dissidents into the system and accommodate to their demands i.e.: so that they do not threaten its continuity Example: 1968 students protesting in Mexico City Put many young people to work in expanding anti-poverty programs in countryside and urban slums

Mexican Political System - Corporatism Corporatist organizations under the PRI Example: Confederation of Mexican workers Recognized by PRI; independent unions repressed Agreed to limit demands Limits on wage increases, limits on grievance procedures, limit on right to strike. Leaders of official federations rewarded by PRI 1980s-90s: 14-22% of Congress Confederation of Mexican Workers Corporatism: Citizen participation is channeled into state-sanctioned groups

Interest Group Activity Business interests – Ultimately…Elites became wealthy, but not incorporated into PRI. Labor –Union boss power falls, because unions are accommodated by the system. Rural peasant organizations – on the rise but co-opted as necessary Urban Movements – social welfare spending, city services, neighborhood improvements, etc.

What would you say about voter behavior before 1990s? PRI controlled local, state and national elections Voter rates high because patron-client required political support

Situation #2 How might this affect the political Mexico is now more than 75% urban Literacy rate 90% How might this affect the political system/relationship between citizen and state? Voting?

Political Participation Over time, Mexicans have enjoyed widespread freedoms Religion, press, assembly, to vote, own property or even choose a school Yet there have been civil rights abuses by the government Violent strike breaking Student massacres Lots of assassinations

But… While they might have been free, until 2000 Mexicans could never turn this freedom into an alternate political power

What do you think the future holds for the relationship between citizen and state in Mexico?