Mexico's Representational Democracy

There are similarities and differences that arise between the government of Mexico and the government of the United States of America (U.S.A.). One main similarity of the government in both countries is that they are both varying forms of a republic. The republic form of the U.S.A. is a constitution-based federal republic with a strong democratic tradition, while the republic form of Mexico is a federal republic that is not based on a constitution (Wilson, 2008). Differences are in how cabinet members are appointed and how presidents are elected. In the U.S.A., the cabinet is appointed by the president and needs the Senate approval in order to be appointed. Leaders such as the president and vice president are elected by a college of representatives that were themselves elected from each state. Once elected, the president and vice president will serve four-year terms and are able to run for another term for a total of two presidential terms. On the other hand, Mexico’s president is elected via a popular vote and is only able to serve in a single six-year term. Both Mexico and the U.S.A. are members of the United Nations (U.N.), an international organization established to preserve international security and peace. Mexico and the U.S.A. became U.N. members in 1945 (United Nations, 2016).

As once put by Mexican Nobel laureate Octavio Paz, Mexico is a land of “super-imposed pasts” (McCormick, p.326). It continues to be and is seen as a melding pot of its European and Native American ideas about society, law and government. Its history has had a major influence on the political culture of Mexico, seen through years of revolution, violence and corruption. Mexico is a considered a new democracy, but there is a tension still seen between democracy and authoritarianism. The country we see today has impressive growth yet is still enduring poverty. It’s a geographically diverse country, with a population of approximately 106million people. Latin American political culture is seen as “elitist,

During the Mexican Revolution there were many prominent figures that emerged during the long struggle. Some of the figures had a positive impact on the region, and some others a very negative impact on the people of Mexico and their quest for an uncorrupted government. One figure that stands out in the border region between Mexico and The United States during this time is General Francisco “Pancho” Villa. To understand Pancho Villa’s significant role during this uprising it is important to understand who Villa was prior to the revolution, and what acts lead to his rise to power.

This constitution of United Mexican States provided for a very weak national government and the powers of the government and its states are not defined which caused increasing tension between each state.

Children are taught at a young age learning the three branches of the United States and how well they work however Mexico’s government is very similar to the US. Mexico’s government is a lot more developed than you might think; it has a good structure with three branches also called Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches.

The Spaniards made what we now know as Mexico into a racially segregated country, where the Europeans had priority in the casta. The white Caudillos were at the top of the pyramid, while the middle class, and then the Mexican Campesinos and the Mestizos were on the bottom. Each group of people worked against each other to try and distinguish themselves from another group. After Mexico gained its independence and the colonials went back to Spain, Mexico had to find a way to function as a country on their own. Society, let alone a democracy would not continue to work if all the racial groups continued to fight against each other. The different groups needed to learn to work together, which is what complicated Mexico forming a democracy. Colonial, racial, religious, and economic legacies served as roadblocks to Mexico’s independence and ability to establish a lasting democracy, because Mexicans could no longer compete against one another like they did under Spanish rule.

Mexico’s government is very corrupted as we know it from the media. Based on logical facts, Mexico’s government doesn't have the right and sufficient system to protect an individual’s right. The economy also plays a huge role into individual’s voting since there is problems financially that the head of state, Enrique Peña has been trying to solve. As well as the situation with the drug cartels which have impacted Mexico’s financial and military power to slowly decrease these problems have led to question Mexico’s democratization.In my opinion, I feel that Mexico is not a liberal democracy with its corruption and unreformed government leading Mexicans to lose trust in their own society (government). Is Mexico a liberal democracy throughout the years?

The Mexican American war was a war over terrain. The Mexican government achieved its independence in 1821 so the country was very unstable and needed more money. Mexico was struggling to maintain control of the country. When mexico tried to maintain control they outlawed slavery. This caused outrage in the northern parts of mexico and a small part of mexico rebelled claiming it independence. This newly established country would become The Republic of Texas. Mexico did not however recognize Texas as a new country. Texas with a terrible economy could not stand on its own so the United States made Texas a new state. The United States in the 1800’s wanted trade routes in the pacific but mexico owned the pacific. So started border disputes on texas

Within the Mexican American parties political participation has been a key factor towards getting representation within the eyes of the government. When people continue to protest for their rights they often show that they have not only begin the race, but they have put an effort to win. Organizations such as the UFW (United Farm Workers) have shown that political change can happen if people organize for a cause they believe in. This boycott showed that Mexican Americans are capable of organizing a group to voice their opinions against the dominant Anglo views. Mexican Americans were heard when they protested for their wellbeing because they were often being exposed to pesticides. Protests like this have shown that the voices of these protests

Mexico's government is a federal republic that has a centralized government. A federal republic is a group of states that has a republican form of government. A centralized government gives authority and power to an executive. In Mexico's case, the president. The president of Mexico is the head of state and government, with authority at the federal, state, and local levels. There are thirty-one states found throughout Mexico with one federal district, Mexico City. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and a large amount of government activity take places. The mayor of Mexico City is the second highest government position. Currently, the 1917 constitution still guides the government and their decisions. This document does divide the government

“’I love the revolution like a volcano in eruption; I love the volcano because it’s a volcano; the revolution because it’s the revolution!’” cries a revolutionary soldier in Azuela’s The Underdogs (159). The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was aimed to overthrow the dictatorship of the Mexican government, which was in constant turmoil as presidents were constantly toppled from power. Porfirio Diaz, the president at the time the uprising began, was removed from power when revolutionary generals, Emiliano Zapata and Francisco “Pancho” Villa, answered Francisco Madero’s call for rebellion. After Madero took power, he was defeated by Victoriano Huerta. Venustiano Carranza seized power from Huerta, and Alvaro Obregon gained control after Carranza was deposed. The revolution lasted a decade and ended with the new Mexican Constitution of 1917. These events are told in The Underdogs, by Mariano Azuela, in which a native Indian, Demetrio Macias, is forced to side with and aid the rebels when his home is destroyed and his loved ones are put in danger. Throughout the battles, Macias becomes hardened by war, which eventually leads him into Villa’s army as a general. Yet, his original gang of rebels and newly recruited men begin to lose battle after battle. The soldiers go to war and some do not come back. Written from the revolutionaries’ point of view, The Underdogs, by Marino Azuela, is a historically accurate novel that argues that the ideals of

Mexico is made up of a federal presidential representative democratic republic whose government is based on

From the Institutional Revolutionary party (PRI) to the National Action Party (PAN) to the Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD), Mexico has had many political parties in the past and present but many have questioned the fact that how has PRI manage to stay in power and maintain its place as the dominant party in the past. In this short research paper I am going to be talking about Partido Revolucionario Institutional (PRI) and Mexico. I want to discuss the history of PRI and how it came about during and after the Mexican Revolution. I will also touch upon the party’s weaknesses and precursors that might have signaled its loss in the elections of 2000.

Also democracy provides political rights, civil liberties and freedom of press, freedom of association and freedom to oppose to their governments without being afraid of the consequences. Each nation has a unique democratic way of controlling things and under a democratic system people in Latin America could be govern by the government that they choose to and not the military authority or dictatorship. In order to form democracy in Latin American there had to be revolution against authority and the violence that imposed to their citizens. (Isbester K., 2011) O’Donelli defines democracy as ‘patterns, formal and informal and explicit or implicit, that determine the channels of access to principal government positions; the characteristics of the actors who are admitted and excluded ... and the resources and strategies that they are allowed to use for gaining access’

As stated before, some people argue that there is a relationship between both indicators, with economic development causing democracy. Based on the data presented here, I would say that that might be true in some countries, but not in the ones that have been addressed here. For example, Russia has a greater GDP per capita than Mexico, but it is considered to be a not free country, while Mexico is a partly free one with a lower GDP per capita. Yes, Russians might have a greater income per capita, but they are not free people. In sum, it can be said that democracy and economic development play huge roles in the development of a country, however these are not the only factors that need to be taken into consideration, and it