The Mexican state has a rich background that starts before the European colonized it. Initially, there was a development of significant civilizations characterized by urban development, monumental architecture, and increased trade networks, to mention a few. According to research carried out through carbon dating, it is estimated that people first lived in the state of Mexico more than 40000 years ago. There have been continuous changes as civilization, religion and other aspects transform with time. Its political system has a background that dates back to 1521 when the Aztec Empire was overthrown and New Spain was created. Although there were political developments that followed afterward, in 1821, the economy was in ruins during independence. This period was characterized by economic stagnation, high levels of poverty, and political instability. With time, however, there have been dynamic approaches in the restructuring of the Mexican economy. This has come in the form of a reduction of government spending, changes in farming systems, and the introduction of new strategies around industrial production.
Most importantly, the reformation of Agrarian Legislations and commercialization and privatization of communal land ensued. There was a significant focus on poverty reduction, and the need for the welfare needs to be taken care of. Besides this, Mexico has been part of the first Latin American countries to implement Structural adjustment programs (SAPs)( Kunz, 2011). These programs are overseen by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and were meant to alleviate the economic crisis the country was undergoing at the time.
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One of the neoliberal assumptions made about women's role in the economy is that they can be made docile producers. This is exacerbated by an economic restructuring that resulted in less protection of peasants and an increase in such demographics ( Kunz, 2011). There are also assumptions that women are perceived individuals that can be made entrepreneurial subjects. The rights of women here could be conceptualized in market terms other than in terms of political rights. Women are seen as being responsible for social production and also counterparts to remittances in order for them to be active contributors to their family development.
The kinds of discipline occur by making women market producers without political rights. At the same time, the propagation of old and new gender hierarchies acts as an element that restrains women from behaving in a particular manner. Women are also subjects of disciplinary power. Such power makes them subjects of management. This often comes in terms of rewarding compliance and disciplining non-compliance.
Regardless of the systems put in place to discipline women and make them docile, they find resistance and empowerment through the application of different strategies. Active resistance has been witnessed by women influencing each other to resist receiving remittances by women generating income for themselves (Krummel, 2012). Besides, women also find resistance by joining different groups that advocate for women's rights.
Remittance is foreign money sent to an individual in Mexico from abroad. This aspect factors into the discussion because women have been integrated into production with the aim of making them counterparts to remittances. Migrant women, for example, see this as an obligation to their families and communities.
Rural Mexico has disproportionate levels of poverty( IFAD, 2013). Research suggests that remittance has a positive impact on poverty levels. When remittance sent is high, it is possible that low-income families can live a relatively better life. Another related aspect is that in rural areas, migration reduces poverty by shifting people from low-income locations to high-income areas. To some extent, migration does not have an excessive impact on either increasing or alleviating poverty( Adams et al., 2008). . Regardless of such research findings, it is necessary that there are diverse approaches to poverty reduction in rural Mexico other than remittance dependence.
References
Adams, R., Lopez-Feldman, A., Mora, J., Taylor, J. E., DeWind, J., & Holdaway, J. (2008). Remittances, inequality and poverty: Evidence from rural Mexico. Migration and development within and across borders: Research and policy perspectives on internal and international migration , 101-130.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). (2013). Investing in Rural People in Mexico.
Krummel, S. (2012). Migrant women: Stories of empowerment, transformation, exploitation and resistance. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies , 38 (7), 1175-1184.
Kunz, R. (2011). The ‘Making Women Productive’Strategy: Uncovering Gendered Sightings, Sites and Resistances to Global Restructuring in Rural Mexico. Gender and Global Restructuring. Sightings, Sites and Resistances. New York: Routledge .
