Polarizing Mexico

Abstract

Mexico has been a third-world country for centuries. Through its historical path of turbulent governments, Mexico was continuously left in a worse economic condition than where it was in each previous regime. (Suchlicki, 1996) When NAFTA was signed, the hopes were to unite and increase trade between Canada, the United States and Mexico. It was also believed that NAFTA would solve all of Mexico’s social, political and economic problems, demonstrating how free trade could aid in developing a nation such as Mexico. (Smith & Lindlad, 2003) However, not all of Mexico was accepting NAFTA with open-arms. After the signing, there were hostile movements in Mexico (Suchlicki, 1996), attempted renegotiations of NAFTA ("Mexico Rejects," 2004) and a requirement for a delay in lifting some agricultural import barriers (Hall, Schwarf, and Root, 2006). While NAFTA is not a panacea for all of Mexico’s economic woes, it is the path to a stronger Mexico in the future. The greatest obstacle to free trade lies within Mexico’s divided culture and internal derision.