Poverty in Mexico as a Cultural Script

Abstract

This article analyzes poverty in Mexico using transactional analysis, specifically from the point of view of script. The author describes how the conquest of Mexico by Europeans was a shocking event for the indigenous people, who lost their traditions, beliefs, leaders, and often their families. It was a natural decision for the Mexicans to adopt the systems, education, and religion of their conquerors, usually with little protest. It is suggested that this decision was equivalent to a decision to be poor and helpless, out of which a well-defined script developed. The kind of transactions and some of the games preferred by the poor in Mexico are analyzed, and the conclusion is reached that poverty in Mexico can be explained as a script. Furthermore, the author contends that policies that attempt to address poverty in Mexico without acknowledging and dealing with it on the level of script will fail to alleviate it in any meaningful way.