Mexican political stability in the era of globalized neoliberalism: Whither the revolutionary-nationalist state

This study addresses the following closely interrelated questions about the current situation in Mexico: What happens in a country that was famous for, and prided itself on, a Revolution that engendered a statist, nationalist, and at least rhetorically socialist regime when that regime rather suddenly embraces both globalism and neoliberalism? More specifically, what are the implications for that country's political stability of the "locking" of the policy pendulum when it was that very pendulum's broad movement that provided political stability in the first place? While several linked factors have been proffered to explain Mexico's longstanding political stability (geopolitics, economic development, political culture, the institutionalization of the post-revolutionary regime, and the nature of the PRI-government), the best overarching explanation remains Needler's "pendulum theory." Threatening this stability, globalization and neoliberalism are precipitating "local" effects in Mexico, the most important of which for political stability is the limiting of the regime's policy options--"locking the pendulum." Providing a panoramic snapshot of Mexico coming off the 1997 mid-term elections and heading towards the 2000 presidential race, this study contextualizes contemporary Mexico's plight qualitatively and draws from original surv ey research. The study demonstrates that sectors of Mexico are experiencing perceived "relative deprivations," elite commitment to democracy is shallow, and the majority of Mexicans are suffering. Mexico is becoming similar to most other developing countries in the world--experiencing declining political-economic autonomy and social justice problems that make consolidating substantive democracy very difficult.