Political activity in Mexico is predominant among higher-income groups because they have more resources, and this leaves lower-income groups with little or no political voice, said Claudio Holzner, assistant professor of political science.
Holzner spoke about Mexico’s political system as part of the Feb. 22 “Works in Progress” talks in Carlson Hall. His lecture, “What is Wrong With Mexico’s Democracy?” explained the correlation between the declining participation of Mexico’s poor in politics and the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
The PRI Party ruled Mexico’s political system for 70 years until the National Action Party won in 2000.
“As long as the PRI governed Mexico, political participation by the country’s poor was only going to be encouraged when it provided support for the ruling party,” Holzner said. “And it was only tolerated when it was aimed to secure limited material benefits.”
The fact that income matters more to politics, he said, suggests that Mexico’s institutional reform has closed off opportunities in political participation for the poor by reducing citizens’ incentives.
“This has made it more difficult and more costly for the poor to attend political activities,” he said.
Mexico’s political system can only be described as a puzzle, said Allison Rowland, a public administration professor at El Centro de Investigacin y Docencia Econmicas (CIDE) in Mexico, who attended the event.
CIDE is a higher-education center that focuses in social sciences and international relations in Toluca, Mexico.
“It’s good to have the view of common people in Mexico,” Rowland said. “Because all we hear from politicians is that everything is doing great.”
As we get closer to Mexico’s 2006 presidential election, it is crucial for people to know where Mexico’s political parties stand, said Travis Higgins, U alumnus.
“Utah, especially, should have an interest in Mexican politics,” he said, “because we are so close to it and it affects a lot of our current policies.”