Contemporary Mexican Politics

Now in a thoroughly updated edition, this comprehensive and engaging text explores contemporary Mexico’s political development and examines the most important policy issues facing Mexico in the twenty-first century. The first half of the book traces Mexican political development after the 1910 Revolution and the creation of a single-party dominant system headed by the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party). It includes detailed treatment of the “classic” PRI system’s characteristics, as well as a thorough account of the PRI’s demise and an insightful examination of how the country’s institutions evolved under two successive PAN (National Action Party) presidential administrations before returning to PRI rule. The second half of the book analyzes the most pressing policy issues confronting Mexican society today—including macroeconomic growth and stability, poverty and inequality, the development of civil society, combating drug trafficking, strengthening the rule of law, and migration—and weighs their influence on the future of democracy in Mexico.

The text to this revised edition is richly supplemented by new figures and tables that illustrate broad political, social, and economic trends and by boxes that provide in-depth treatment of a variety of subjects and concepts. Readers will find this widely praised book continues to be the most current and accessible work available on Mexico's politics and policy.

A test bank for instructors is available through textbooks@rowman.com. A website with study guides and links to online resources is available at https://contemporarymexicanpolitics.wordpress.com