Poverty of democracy: Political opportunities and political participation of the poor in Mexico.

Political and economic reforms carried out during the 1990's in Mexico (as throughout Latin America) have altered the opportunities and constraints shaping the political participation of the poor. Analysis of the political behavior of the poor in four municipalities in Oaxaca illuminates how democratic reforms, neoliberal reforms, changes in local political institutions, and the emergence of grass-roots organizations influence the level, frequency, and type of political activity in which the poor engage. Changes in these contextual factors expand and contract the limits of choice and create incentives for the poor to experiment with different kinds of political strategies, thus shaping the political activity of the poor and the meaning of their activity in profound ways. Unlike standard theories of political participation that trace levels of activism to the characteristics of individuals, my explanation focuses on factors external to individuals to understand the variation in the political activity of the poor over time and across cases. I carried out a comparative study of six grass-roots organizations in four municipalities in the state of Oaxaca. I participated in the activities of these organizations, collected archival information about the histories of the organizations and the local political systems, and interviewed city officials and organizational leaders. I also conducted more than 60 in-depth interviews with members of local organizations in which I asked about their political attitudes, demographic background, political experiences, and their strategies for adapting to changes in the local and national political environment.Ph.D.Political scienceSocial SciencesSocial structureUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/123197/2/3068887.pd