IMPACT OF THE PAST: Mesoamerica had several civilizationscomplex cultures based in citiesbefore the Europeans arrived but, with few domesticable plants and animals, never achieved European levels !n tr"in# to catch up with $ortu#al%s route to &sia around &frica, 'pain found (atin &merica and )uickl" took it over for *#old, +od, and #lor"* ,eakened b" smallpox, the &-tecs fell to Cortes in ./0., and 1exico became 'pain%s richest colon", exploited for its #old and silver 2he" set up 1exico%s class s"stem'paniards (or Creoles) at the top, mesti-os in the middle, and indi#enas (!ndians) at the bottom 1exico #ained a painless independence in .30. because its conservative Catholic elite feared liberal tendencies in 'pain 2hat same "ear &mericans were invited into 2exas and soon took it over, leadin# to the &lamo and .345643 7' war, which cost 1exico its northern half 2he 7' Civil ,ar allowed the stran#e 8rench occupation, .35.659 :ia- dominated 1exico .3996.;.<, offerin# Positivism but worsenin# povert" 2he Revolution of .;.<60< was lon#, violent, complex, and multi6sided !t finall" calmed when Calles institutionalized a dominant sin#le part" later called the Revolutionar" !nstitutional $art" ($R!) THE KEY ISTIT!TIOS: $R! practiced statism" co#o$tation" cor$oratism" and clientelism to rule uninterrupted for 9. "ears in a series of sexenios, sin#le six6"ear terms for each president, who was desi#nated b" his predecessor Priismo was contrived stabilit" that looked democratic but was little bound b" constitutionalism% !n .;=4 leftist president Cardenas nationali-ed 1exico%s oil $R!, founded as socialistic and anticlerical>, illustrates a dominant6part" s"stem 1exico%s Con#ress and 'enate are no lon#er dominated b" $R!, which lost votes due to corruption and economic problems 8ox and Calderon of the conservative and Catholic $&? won the presidenc" in 0<<< and (narrowl") in 0<<5 2he leftist $R: also #rew as $R! declined $R! became corrupt and crime6ridden MEXICA PO&ITICA& C!&T!'E: 1exico is stran#e, because atop an !ndian culture it shuffled outmoded European importsclassic liberalism, positivism, socialism, rural socialism, anarchism, anticlericalism, fascism, and communism which do not cohere @oxes explain $ersonalismo" mac(ismo" and de$endenc) t(eor)% PATTE'S OF ITE'ACTIO: $R! was informall" split between $oliticos" elected politicians who tr" to please the masses, and unelected tecnicos" who strive for economic stabili-ation b" appl"in# neoli*eralism even if it hurts the masses ?ow $R: and $&? respectivel" represent these two strands 1exicans, like most (atin &mericans, are not necessaril" devoted to democrac"A the" prefer someone who puts food on the table Catholicism is the sleeper of 1exican politics and helped #et 8ox and Calderon elected & box explains several wa"s to ri# elections 1exican elections are a lot cleaner than the" used to be arcotra+icantes pervade 1exico, even bu"in# top officials ,HAT MEXICAS -!A''E& A.O!T: 1exico%s population exploded in the twentieth centur", but Bobs #rew slowl" 7nemplo"ment and povert" are rife, leadin# to miles of shant"towns and a fli#ht to Bobs in the 7nited 'tates Rural #uerrillas appeared in .;;4 and still fi#ht in the mountains of Chiapas, in 1exico%s south (atin &merica thus far has benefited little from #lobali-ation 1exico%s $RC would drop out of ?&82&A $&? likes it 2he %problems of dru#s and ille#al immi#rants are partl" 7' problems !f we did not bu" the dru#s and emplo" the ille#al immi#rants, the flow of both would stop 1exico badl" needs rule of law ,ith it, 1exico could become (atin &merica%s #rowth ti#er