> Activists would do quite a lot more good by demanding better from their own government. I mean better management and governance.
I think this is something most people agree on, but disagree on how to get there.
One thing not often discussed is the role that illegal immigration to the U.S. plays in all this. In some ways, the sheer amount of illegal immigration provides a release valve for the political "pressure cooker" that is Mexico - and by keeping that valve open, there's not enough of a force for change. Those who migrate to the U.S. often send as much money as they can back to their relatives in Mexico - which isn't a lot, but again serves to placate and distract from the real problems.
I'm not suggesting "building a wall" is the right solution - but I do think it's fairly obvious that illegal immigration has real costs for the U.S., and plays a key role in keeping a corrupt/ineffective Mexican government in power.
What also gets lost on people is that middle class Mexicans do alright. It's mostly the rural poor, the uneducated, underserved, unskilled who get the short shrift and get bowled over by the Mexican mainstream who are more than happy to see their poor underclass go elsewhere for their grievances and leave the middle and upper middle class alone to continue their classism.
To be honest, many of the problems of the rural poor are America's fault. We subsidize the hell out of already efficient farmers to the point that rural Mexican farmers can't compete. And our policy on drugs creates an alternate power structure that the poor can't afford to go against.
I dont think so, at least not to a great extent. Before Nafta it was not much different. The mex fed gov't doesn't care and knows those dissatisfied enough will rather jump the border than revolt.
You dont see the same in Chile or Columbia(!) or Argentina. I mean Mexico has squandered its natural resources beyond comprehension. Imagine what Korea or Japan would be like with the natural resources Mexico has.
I think this is something most people agree on, but disagree on how to get there.
One thing not often discussed is the role that illegal immigration to the U.S. plays in all this. In some ways, the sheer amount of illegal immigration provides a release valve for the political "pressure cooker" that is Mexico - and by keeping that valve open, there's not enough of a force for change. Those who migrate to the U.S. often send as much money as they can back to their relatives in Mexico - which isn't a lot, but again serves to placate and distract from the real problems.
I'm not suggesting "building a wall" is the right solution - but I do think it's fairly obvious that illegal immigration has real costs for the U.S., and plays a key role in keeping a corrupt/ineffective Mexican government in power.