Mexican Political System: Evolution and Challenges
Presidential System
Mexico has a bicameral legislature. The president is elected by national popular vote. The legislature is elected separately, with an upper house consisting of three senators representing each of the states and a lower house (chamber of deputies) representing the population.
Senate Elections
Senators run for office in pairs, and there is a first and second candidate in each pair. The pair that gets the most votes takes the first two senate seats, and the first candidate in the second pair gets the third seat. The PRI was guaranteed a minimum of two senate seats out of three in every state.
The lower house is elected by a combination of first-past-the-post and proportional representation. The number of seats selected proportionally was increased in order to appease those who wanted multi-party rule.
Mexican Constitution
The Mexican Revolution had a great impact on Mexican political culture, especially on the constitution of 1917, and the idea that political power should be limited by the constitution.
Social Policies
- Universal health care & education
- Social security
- Agrarian reform
- Pro-labor laws
- Pro Mexican soil rights limiting the influence of foreign countries
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
The PRI used clientelism and corporatism to dominate politics for 70 years. It remained in power by voter fraud, ballot box stuffing, and other illegalities. The PRI used patron-client networks to link the party to the poor and rural population. Voting for the PRI was considered patriotic.
The PRI’s dominance came to an end from internal and external pressures, and culminated in the presidential election of 2000, when Vicente Fox of PAN won.
National Action Party (PAN)
The PAN was the first party to challenge the PRI. It advocated for more regional autonomy, rejection of anticlericalism, less government control of the economy, reducing corporate presence in government, and creating fair elections.
Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)
The PRD represents urban residents and younger voters. It advocates for more equitable economic opportunities, attacking corporations and corruption, stronger environmental policies, and rights for minorities.
Isolationist Economy
To block foreign involvement and maintain control, the PRI implemented a policy of import substitution industrialization.
Positives
- Increased Mexican GDP & GNP
- Increased literacy rates
- Drop in infant mortality
- Allowed for rapid industrialization
Negatives
- Larger income gap
- Decreased worker efficiency and motivation
- Diminished value and quality of goods
- Economic growth stopped
NAFTA
NAFTA is a trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada that will eventually eliminate all but a few tariffs.
Positives
- Increased labor (maquilladoras)
- Larger Export Market
Negatives
- Mexico failed to invest in proper infrastructure needed for competition
- Agricultural trade imbalance
Demise of the PRI
Upper and Lower House Elections
The lower house was later increased to 200 out of 500 total seats, allowing more members of the PAN, PRD, and other minority parties to take seats, eventually leading to a divided government.
The upper house instituted a second-past-the-post system, which effectively allows the PRI to control two of the three senate seats per state and another party to potentially hold the third seat.
These two electoral reforms gradually led to non-PRI candidates winning seats in both the lower and upper houses of the legislature.
The PRI lost a majority in the legislature for the first time in 1997.
Emergence of Multi-Party System
The oil and debt crisis led to less government spending and handouts.
The Zapatistas expressed anger over NAFTA.
Dominant Party
Voter Fraud, Ballot Box Stuffing, and other Illegalities
The PRI won elections by large, sometimes unbelievable, margins. Mexico had strong patron-client relations known as camarillas, which were large networks of PRI supporters who gained benefits from PRI rule, including jobs with the federal government and promotions based on loyalty and getting out the vote.
The PRI used patron-client networks to link the party to the poor and rural population, using clientelism. Direct economic, or personal benefits, were distributed through a cacique (local party boss) who in return expected political support for himself and for the PRI in regional and national political activities. Voting for the PRI was considered patriotic.
The Mexican PRI President was able to dominate the PRI-staffed bureaucracy.
The Mexican President benefitted from a compliant PRI-dominated legislature each term.
Strong Tradition of Corporatism
Corporatism stemmed from patron-client politics and corruption. Peasants and workers were organized into PRI-dominated organizations that officially served as unions but were really mechanisms to pressure citizens into voting for the PRI.
Not only were votes bought through these organizations, but services such as healthcare and jobs were also provided, creating a brand of party loyalty that was unrivaled.
The press was PRI-dominated. News organizations were officially independent, but in practice they remained uncritical of PRI leaders.