Last week we watched the film The Other Side of Immigration, which explored the U.S./Mexico immigration problem through the perspective of those living in Mexican towns. The film details the reasons for why half of the population in Mexican towns have left to the United States. Furthermore, the film presents how the immigration of family members affects Mexican families and communities left behind. Within Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands/La Frontera, Anzaldua describes the interior problems within Mexico that contribute to the exodus of many Mexicanos. However, her descriptions were published in 1987, whereas the film was distributed in 2010. The same interior problems presented back in the late 1980s are presented now, and are possibly worse
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Former farm workers express how in old days money could buy you a pig farm, and even strawberry farms. The film indicates how twenty percent of workers had pig farms. However, with bigger farms from the United States exporting their products, farmers on the Mexican side could not compete. Moreover, farmers would not make back any money that they had invested in their farm. The workers interviewed, furthermore, explained that the government does not help farmers by not providing subsidies and funds necessary to keep farms in Mexico afloat. Since work is scarce within Mexico, many believe they have a better chance of gaining money in the U.S., rather than living scarce lives in Mexico. Anzaldua described her father as a sharecropper on the U.S. side. She mentions how “Rio Farms Incorporated loaned him money and living expenses” (Anzaldua 31) to help her father during the harvest. Anzaldua further notes how “the corporations fared well” (Anzaldua 31) in assisting her father. Demonstrating the difference in social cultures pointed out in the film. Within the United States corporations look out for farmers like Anzaldua’s father. However, in Mexico, the government doesn’t try to improve life for farmers. The man in the film describes Mexico to be the “Joke of the World,” as Mexico keep falling behind compared to the U.S. due to the egocentric mindset of the …show more content…
market” (Anzaldua 32). The book further details the Mexican government to be “in partnership with such American conglomerates as American motors, IT&T and Du Pont” (Anzaldua 32). These American companies own maquiladoras, which at the time of the novel was “Mexico’s second greatest source of U.S. dollars” (Anzaldua 32). Furthermore, it appears that Mexico’s dependency on the U.S. market has continued into today’s world. The men in the film talk about how there is money within the government, but not everyone can touch it. Therefore, corruption and bribery all stem from greed present within the Mexican government. The film further details that for anyone to receive financial benefits, you must be likable to a politician (mayor). However, intimidation of officials is the ending result you receive once helped. Within Mexico there is no political idea of “Do what you can do for your country,” there is just “What can you do for me?” Borderlands details how “a man or woman can make eight times what they can in Mexico” (Anzaldua 32). More so, it is noted that “By March 1987, 1,088 pesos were worth one U.S. dollar” (Anzaldua 32). In the film, workers describe working for months for what they earn in a day’s pay in the United States. The film and Borderlands share the similar views seen about the problem with the Mexican exodus. The views expressed further entails that the broader
Former farm workers express how in old days money could buy you a pig farm, and even strawberry farms. The film indicates how twenty percent of workers had pig farms. However, with bigger farms from the United States exporting their products, farmers on the Mexican side could not compete. Moreover, farmers would not make back any money that they had invested in their farm. The workers interviewed, furthermore, explained that the government does not help farmers by not providing subsidies and funds necessary to keep farms in Mexico afloat. Since work is scarce within Mexico, many believe they have a better chance of gaining money in the U.S., rather than living scarce lives in Mexico. Anzaldua described her father as a sharecropper on the U.S. side. She mentions how “Rio Farms Incorporated loaned him money and living expenses” (Anzaldua 31) to help her father during the harvest. Anzaldua further notes how “the corporations fared well” (Anzaldua 31) in assisting her father. Demonstrating the difference in social cultures pointed out in the film. Within the United States corporations look out for farmers like Anzaldua’s father. However, in Mexico, the government doesn’t try to improve life for farmers. The man in the film describes Mexico to be the “Joke of the World,” as Mexico keep falling behind compared to the U.S. due to the egocentric mindset of the …show more content…
market” (Anzaldua 32). The book further details the Mexican government to be “in partnership with such American conglomerates as American motors, IT&T and Du Pont” (Anzaldua 32). These American companies own maquiladoras, which at the time of the novel was “Mexico’s second greatest source of U.S. dollars” (Anzaldua 32). Furthermore, it appears that Mexico’s dependency on the U.S. market has continued into today’s world. The men in the film talk about how there is money within the government, but not everyone can touch it. Therefore, corruption and bribery all stem from greed present within the Mexican government. The film further details that for anyone to receive financial benefits, you must be likable to a politician (mayor). However, intimidation of officials is the ending result you receive once helped. Within Mexico there is no political idea of “Do what you can do for your country,” there is just “What can you do for me?” Borderlands details how “a man or woman can make eight times what they can in Mexico” (Anzaldua 32). More so, it is noted that “By March 1987, 1,088 pesos were worth one U.S. dollar” (Anzaldua 32). In the film, workers describe working for months for what they earn in a day’s pay in the United States. The film and Borderlands share the similar views seen about the problem with the Mexican exodus. The views expressed further entails that the broader