Insurgency, Authoritarianism, and Drug Trafficking in Mexico's Democratization

ISBN-13: 9780415972093 / Angielski / Twarda / 2004 / 256 str.

Jose Luis Velasco

Opis

Mexico's "democratic transition" has created a competitive electoral system and a formally plural state. But authoritarian practices have shown their capacity to thrive in this competitive context. Besides, a peculiar wave of insurgency, started in 1994, has challenged the alleged moderating effect of democratic transition. At the same time, the illegal drug business became larger and probably increased its political influence, undermining the rule of law and democratic accountability. This book argues that socioeconomic inequality is the main factor behind this combination of democratic and undemocratic trends. Inequality has corrupting effects upon democratization; conversely, the apparently democratic system tends to legitimate economic inequality and thereby contributes to reproducing it. Thus, a far-reaching redistribution of socioeconomic power is indispensable for breaking the vicious circle created by inequality and authoritarianism.

Spis treści

List of Tables List of Figures List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Chapter 1. Anomalies of Mexico's Democratic Transition 1. Democratic Transition in Mexico 2. The Anomalies 3. General View of Political Changes in Mexico 4. Analytical Implications 5. Beyond Democratic Transition Chapter 2. Democratic Transition in Mexico 1. Peculiarities of Mexico's Democratic Transition 2. Electoral Rules and Competition 3. Pluralization of Elective Posts and Separation of Power 4. Civil and Political Rights Chapter 3. Transition and Insurgency 1. Explanatory Framework 2. Mexico's Insurgency in the 1990s 3. Causes of Insurgency 4. Insurgency's Impact on Democratization 5. Reasons for the Survival of Insurgency 6. Reasons for the Limited Character of Insurgency 7. From Insurgency to Local Civil War Chapter 4. Authoritarian Structures and Practices 1. Authoritarian Practices in the Post-Revolutionary Regime 2. Authoritarian Practices in Mexico's Democratic Transition 3. The pluralization of Authoritarian Practices 4. Explaining the Legitimacy of Authoritarian Practices 5. Evolution of Poverty and Inequality in the 1980s and 1990s. 6. The Fiscal Situation Chapter 5. Transition and Illegal Drugs 1. The Global Drug Market 2. Economic and Social Dimensions 3. Political Effects 4. Impact of Democratic Transition on the Illegal Drug Trade 5. After the PRI Chapter 6. Beyond Democratic Transition: Towards a Redistributive Agenda 1. Political Change in Mexico 2. Poverty, Inequality, and Democratic Change 3. Democratic Transition and Neo-liberalism 4. Democratic Transition and Legitimacy 5. Two Trends 6. Weakness of the Procedural View 7. Towards a New Interpretation of Political Change 8. A Redistributive Agenda Appendix A: Tables and Figures Bibliography

O autorze

Jose L. Velasco