THE MEXICAN STATE AND THE AGRIBUSINESS MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE GLOBALIZATION ERA

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationship between the State and transnational capital manifested in capitalist agribusiness schemes in Mexican agriculture. It illustrates a model that has privileged one type of development in detriment to other forms of organizing rural agricultural production and labor (Real 1997). Current agricultural development in México is linked directly to the “Green Revolution”, México being prominent as its birthplace. Ironically, the Green Revolution contributed to a massive displacement of rural population to cities as human labor was replaced by machinery (1992). Development of capitalist agriculture in México and Latin America is closely related to the effects of the transnationalization of agroindustry. The importance of agribusiness has expanded in recent decades through a series of events, including the substitution of basic crops for more profitable ones and the contribution to the “new international division of labor” (Sanderson 1990). Recent trilateral transnational political and economic changes are linked to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between México, United States and Canada (Kearney 1995). In the case of agriculture, Palerm and Urquiola (1993) believe the relationship between United States and Mexico to be bimodal. From a perspective of Social Anthropology we provide firsthand information about two areas of agroindustry: production of vegetables for export and production of poultry where participation by different social actors was observed. Agro‐industrial entrepreneurs depend upon agricultural workers who wish to conserve a peasant way of life.