The uprising of the Zapatistas has brought global attention to the social inequalities within Mexico. Barry states, "The Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) let it be known that the plight of the peasantry could not be ignored… Don 't forget us, the rebels were saying, you depend on us for your political and economic stability” (Barry 1995, 3). A form of revolution: tierra o muerte, a more aggressive violent confrontation against neoliberal reforms, which means land or death. The agrarian reforms have pushed, "many rural villages… into ghost towns as entire families choose economic exile in the United States or look for a new life along city streets" (Barry 1995, 6). The alternative of migrating for many families was to join forces with
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CRITIQUES OF NEOLIBERALISM Neoliberalism (economic) contradicts democracy (political). Neoliberal institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO)... The lack of accountability undermines the power of the people... Therefore undemocratic (Bhavnani, Foran, and Kurian 2003, 157). In a society that is democratic the main principles are equality, freedom of liberties and popular sovereignty. In a neoliberal society the main driving force is competition, followed by other forms of liberties. Equality and direct democracy are the essential principles that the Zapatista communities espouse. The Zapatista movement is a counter force for neoliberalism; bringing awareness of the continuous struggle for indigenous rights. The ruling political party in Mexico for over 70 years was the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which was on the decline in popularity throughout Mexico in the early 1990s. There was a certain amount of apprehension towards PRI politics, adding to the shifting of political values because of the political corruption leading up to the development of social political movements that were started at a grassroots …show more content…
These hardships further contributed to the warfare within the country that took the form of insurgent and revolutionary movements throughout the country in search of “democracy, liberty, and justice” (Womack 1999, 3-7). The poverty-stricken circumstances of Chiapas have led to hidden reasons for the sorrow and grief among the natives. Polarization of the nation has been led by years of governmental fraud, exploitation and nepotism (Suchlike 2000, 149). Approximately one-fifth of Mexico’s workforce is in agriculture (Barry1995, 15). Chiapas’s agriculture is: first in coffee production, second in cocoa production, third in corn production, and second in banana production (Womack 1999, 5). Chiapas is also very rich in mineral reserves, producing a large portion of oil for the entire country. Delete: As a result, Chiapas had become a top priority in privatizing government owned enterprises in the late 1980s (Womack 15,
CRITIQUES OF NEOLIBERALISM Neoliberalism (economic) contradicts democracy (political). Neoliberal institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO)... The lack of accountability undermines the power of the people... Therefore undemocratic (Bhavnani, Foran, and Kurian 2003, 157). In a society that is democratic the main principles are equality, freedom of liberties and popular sovereignty. In a neoliberal society the main driving force is competition, followed by other forms of liberties. Equality and direct democracy are the essential principles that the Zapatista communities espouse. The Zapatista movement is a counter force for neoliberalism; bringing awareness of the continuous struggle for indigenous rights. The ruling political party in Mexico for over 70 years was the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which was on the decline in popularity throughout Mexico in the early 1990s. There was a certain amount of apprehension towards PRI politics, adding to the shifting of political values because of the political corruption leading up to the development of social political movements that were started at a grassroots …show more content…
These hardships further contributed to the warfare within the country that took the form of insurgent and revolutionary movements throughout the country in search of “democracy, liberty, and justice” (Womack 1999, 3-7). The poverty-stricken circumstances of Chiapas have led to hidden reasons for the sorrow and grief among the natives. Polarization of the nation has been led by years of governmental fraud, exploitation and nepotism (Suchlike 2000, 149). Approximately one-fifth of Mexico’s workforce is in agriculture (Barry1995, 15). Chiapas’s agriculture is: first in coffee production, second in cocoa production, third in corn production, and second in banana production (Womack 1999, 5). Chiapas is also very rich in mineral reserves, producing a large portion of oil for the entire country. Delete: As a result, Chiapas had become a top priority in privatizing government owned enterprises in the late 1980s (Womack 15,