Pablo Calderón Martínez - NAFTA and Democracy in Mexico: A Successful Failure?

After describing NAFTA as the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere, Donald Trumps election seemed to represent the final nail in the coffin for North American economic integration. Following a decade of stagnation, however, Trumps victory presents a timely opportunity to reconsider North American integration and evaluate NAFTAs democratic track record in Mexico.

In this book, Pablo Caldern Martnez presents a detailed analysis of NAFTAs influence as a political tool for democracy in Mexico. Extending beyond a mere economic or social exploration of the consequences of NAFTA, Caldern Martnez uses a three-tiered analysis based on causality mechanisms to explain how the interactions between internationalisation and democratisation unfolded in Mexico. Caldern Martnezs analysis demonstrates that Mexicos internationalisation project under the framework of NAFTA gave shape to, if not made, Mexicos democratisation process.

An original and timely resource for scholars and students interested in understanding how in cases like Mexico where transitions to democracy are characterised by a finely poised balance of power small influences from abroad can make significant long-lasting differences domestically.

Pablo Caldern Martnez is a Lecturer at Aston University, UK and a Visiting Professor at the Department of International Studies, Centro de Investigacin y Docencia Econmicas (CIDE), Mexico. Pablos research focuses on Spanish and Latin American democratisation processes, political economy, elites and political culture. His publications have appeared in the Journal of Contemporary and European Studies, the Bulletin of Latin American Research and Government and Opposition. He has held academic positions at Kings College London and at the New College of the Humanities London.

NAFTA and Democracy in Mexico
A Successful Failure?
Pablo Caldern Martnez

First published 2019

by Routledge

711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

and by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2019 Taylor & Francis

The right of Pablo Caldern Martnez to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Caldern Martnez, Pablo, author.

Title: NAFTA and democracy in Mexico : a successful failure? / Pablo Caldern Martnez.

Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018025331| ISBN 9780815363170 (hardback) | ISBN 9781351110341 (webpdf) | ISBN 9781351110334 (epub) | ISBN 9781351110327 (mobipocket/kindle)

Subjects: LCSH: DemocracyEconomic aspectsMexico. | MexicoForeign economic relationsNorth America. | North AmericaForeign economic relationsMexico. | MexicoPolitics and government. | North American Free Trade Agreement (1992 December 17)

Classification: LCC JL1281 .C328 2019 | DDC 320.972dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018025331

ISBN: 978-0-8153-6317-0 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-351-11035-8 (ebk)

Typeset in Times New Roman

by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear

This book is the result of years of research, travelling, thinking and writing. More than that, however, this is the result of a truly collective effort. Of course, any mistakes, errors or controversial statements that the reader may find in this book are entirely my own, but everything of worth has been made possible thanks to a wide support network at a personal and a professional level. First of all, I would like to thank Nagore Calvo who was instrumental during the earlier stages of this research when I was a PhD student at Kings College London. As my main supervisor, Nagore not only helped me develop my methodological framework but her expertise in other areas of political science helped me broaden my research. The same goes for Adrian Pearce, whose almost encyclopaedic knowledge of everything Mexico has been of tremendous help. They will forever have my gratitude for their support, guidance and friendship over the last decade. I would also like to thank Professor Mark Aspinwall and Professor Sebastian Balfour for their insightful and though provoking comments. Special thanks to Mark for offering the incredible opportunity to join the Department of International Studies at CIDE; his help and support has been beyond kind.

At institutional level I have to thank my colleagues at the School of Languages and Social Sciences at Aston University for providing a stimulating and wonderfully diverse environment to work and do research. At a more individual level, I would also like to express my gratitude to Stefan Manz for his support in helping find the time to finish this book, and to all my colleagues in the Spanish Subject Group for covering much of my teaching and administrative responsibilities whilst this book was being finalised. Anyone who has worked in academia understands the value of time, so thank you for gifting me some! Special thanks also to everyone at the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies Department at Kings College London. The whole Department thrives in multidisciplinary and I feel grateful to the whole Department, and to Professor Catherine Boyle in particular, for giving me the opportunity and support to fully take part in this amalgam of disciplines, research projects and interests. Similarly, the School of Arts and Humanities at Kings College London provided me with a number of generous grants to complete fieldwork and participate in international conferences. In the same vein, I would also like to thank Santander Bank for its generous financial support, as well as the Society of Latin American Studies for their funding of several research trips.