Mexico and Cuba: Decolonization (1821-19th Century)

A system where foreign companies establish manufacturing plants in Mexico near the US border, taking advantage of lower wages and tax benefits.

Women were targeted for work in maquiladoras due to the belief that they would accept lower wages and be more compliant.

Maquiladora workers faced exploitative conditions, including low wages, lack of benefits, and unsafe working environments.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated tariffs between Canada, the US, and Mexico, leading to increased foreign investment in Mexico's low-wage labor market.

NAFTA's impact on Mexican agriculture was devastating. Small-scale farmers couldn't compete with subsidized US agriculture, forcing many to abandon their land.

The Zapatista Rebellion was a protest against NAFTA and the erosion of indigenous rights. They demanded land rights and self-governance.

Displaced Mexican farmers migrated to cities, maquiladoras, or the US seeking employment. This created a large, vulnerable workforce susceptible to exploitation.

The vulnerable workforce, often undocumented, faced exploitation, contributing to lower wages and weakened labor unions in both Mexico and the US.

The Cuban Revolution aimed to redistribute land to the working class, particularly in Oriente Province where peasants supported the movement.

Díaz's political strategy of offering rewards to influential opponents while suppressing dissent with force. This approach aimed to create political stability and economic growth, but often involved bribes and coercion.

The Cuban government experimented with various types of agrarian holdings, eventually settling on 'granjas del pueblo', or state farms, as the preferred model for agricultural land ownership.

A group of intellectuals, professionals, and businessmen who acted as Díaz's advisors and promoted modernization and economic development during his rule.

Overkilling cattle to meet rising food demand led to depletion of livestock resources, impacting the government's ability to provide meat.

An 1883 law that allowed real estate companies to survey public lands, keeping one-third and selling the rest cheaply, often to Díaz's allies. This contributed to the concentration of land ownership in the hands of the elite.

A law passed in 1894 that classified untitled lands as vacant, enabling the seizure of indigenous and smallholder lands. This often involved violence and exploitation.

Due to agricultural challenges, the Cuban government implemented rationing in March 1962 to control the distribution of scarce resources.

The Cuban government, aiming for self-sufficiency, shifted agricultural production to other crops like cotton, rice, and soybeans, moving away from sugar cane.

The practice of forcing indigenous communities to sell their lands through coercion, manipulation, or violence. This often resulted in land loss and displacement.

The negative consequences of land mismanagement under Díaz's rule, including idle land, outdated agricultural techniques, and rising food prices.

The Cuban government nationalized U.S.-owned factories, utilities, and sugar mills as part of its industrialization program, but the initial plans were postponed in 1963.

The Cuban government's inability to efficiently organize and manage the economy led to significant problems in agriculture, particularly in planning and administration.

The shortage of food production in Mexico during the late 19th century, due to land mismanagement, droughts, and increased imports from the US.

The National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP) was established to align small farms' production with national goals and address agricultural challenges.

The shift in the Mexican economy towards exporting industrial raw materials and cash crops, often at the expense of domestic food production. This benefited foreign companies and contributed to social and labor unrest.

A system of communal land ownership in Mexico where community members have usage rights but not individual ownership. Large landowners owned the land.

Under Cárdenas, government agencies distributed land to peasants, empowering and controlling them. The agencies aimed to foster peasant unity and democracy, but also manipulated them for state interests

The government shifted its focus from supporting peasant land distribution to favoring large, private property owners, leading to a decline in the ejido system.

Cárdenas's policies boosted agriculture and industrial growth by expanding the internal market. This modernized rural life but also created inequalities and dependence on the government.

The Mexican labor movement gained strength under Cárdenas, resulting in numerous strikes to improve wages and working conditions.

The Confederación de Trabajadores Mexicanos (CTM) was created to replace the old labor federation. This aimed to align workers' interests with the government.

Cárdenas supported both labor interests and private enterprise. He provided loans and protection to big companies through government measures.

The Nacional Financiera, established in 1934, served as a government bank and investment corporation. It used public and private funds to provide loans, finance welfare projects, and invest in securities.

The Mexican government's reliance on foreign investment, particularly from the United States, led to increased debt and dependence, making Mexico one of the most indebted countries in the developing world.

The devaluation of the Mexican peso by 60% in 1976 led to a significant increase in inflation, severely impacting the standard of living for the Mexican population.

The PRI maintained its grip on power through a combination of coercion, electoral fraud, and co-opting dissidents by offering them access to state resources such as education, healthcare, and housing.

Mexico's economic expansion during the 1970s was fueled by rising oil prices, but this created a dependency on volatile oil revenues, ultimately leading to economic vulnerability.

Mexico's foreign debt, accumulated due to reliance on loans for oil production, surged during the early 1980s after a global oil price collapse. The IMF intervened with austerity measures and loans, but this deepened poverty and inequality.

President Miguel de la Madrid's neoliberal reforms emphasized austerity measures, including increased fuel prices and devaluation of the peso, deepening poverty and inequality.

The Mexican government privatized state-owned enterprises, including major industries, often favoring elites and foreign investors. This move contributed to economic restructuring and a shift towards an export-driven economy.

The growth of maquiladoras, assembly plants along the US-Mexico border, fueled by cheap labor and lax regulations, contributed to economic growth while also raising concerns about labor exploitation and environmental contamination.

The American control of Cuban economy after the Spanish-American War led to significant investment in sugar and railroad construction, transforming Cuban society and paving the way for the rise of latifundio.

After the Spanish rule ended, the concentration of land ownership and sugar mills, combined with the proletarianization of workers, resulted in a significant impoverishment of the Cuban rural population.

The labor shortage in Cuban sugar industry resulted in a cycle of poverty and migration for farmers. Small independent growers were forced to work seasonally or move to cities.

The dominance of sugar companies led to a lack of diversity in Cuba's economy, limiting the development of a domestic market for manufactured goods and services.

U.S. companies invested heavily in Cuban sugar, controlling a significant proportion of railroads and operating them for their own benefit, often disregarding public interest.

Cuba's status as a U.S. protectorate and a series of revolts led to repeated U.S. military interventions, affecting Cuban political life and hindering its independence.

The U.S.-backed policies implemented by Tomás Estrada Palma led to corruption and patronage, creating division among Cuban elites and fostering resentment among lower classes.

Charles Magoon's U.S. provisional government aimed to reform the Cuban army and promoted a racist immigration policy, ultimately reducing the proportion of Afro-Cubans in the population.