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Answer? As a country, no, not even close. However, over time there will be an increasing number of "first-world" neighborhoods, villages, and small cities. The wealthy of Mexico live extremely well and are better educated and more sophisticated than most Americans.
But the dichtomous economy painted above will exist for many more generations, until perhaps Mexico fractures into pieces or there is a serious revolution--in which case odds are it will get worse.
The wealthy of Mexico want to keep their wealth and will use the laws and institutions to serve their needs. The trickle down attracts the mass hordes of Central Americans and rural Mexicans happy enough to live in shanties with the hope of one day breaking through to the middle class.
The mistake most Americans make is to think of Mexico as monolithically poor--not the case at all--or necessarily disadvanatged--which for some cannot be further from the truth.
From the US perspective, the best thing America can do is develop an intelligent immigration plan with respect to Mexico, not the swiss cheese, turn a blind eye one sees now. Ending welfare benefits to illegal migrants is obvious. Sealing the borders with "valves" so we get control is another no-brainer.
From the Mexican perspective, Mexico needs to bleed off its excess labour. Mexico also needs to get its talented professional class experienced in global business, something more easily done with access to the US. Finally, Mexico's institutions of government, the worst in North America, need to reform. Mexico should allow more autonomy to Southern and border states. The Western Hemisphere should decriminalize drugs with governments taking huge stakes such that the profit motive goes to zero. This would transform border towns from dens of filth and vice to prosperous international portals.
But as per usual, governmetns operate without the requisite cajones. As a result, the rich in Mexico will get richer and even more determined to protect their wealth. Most of the unconnected professional class will leave (or need to leave). The hope then rests with the small number of entrepreneurs who wish to build proper companies in Mexico and can operate them from a technocratic/meritocratic basis...these will come but will be inadequate for the needs of an entire country.
Only if enough Americans decide to let the illegals have America and we move to Mexico. Mexico is the second largest exporter of oil to the US, one reason we won't do anything about illegals, and they are still unable to become a first world country.
Location: The world, where will fate take me this time?
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And CamaroGuy surely has a place in history for his impressive achievements!
Now, Mexico already is an awesome place to live, it is a democratic country, with a free market economy in the trillion dollar class, thanks to the trade agreements we have with a lot of nations around the world, we have access to a lot of cool stuff and technology, but yet, we have that laidback and relaxed latinamerican flavor.
If you study, don't have too many kids and make a reasonable effort you can enjoy a very good life here
Last edited by Travelling fella; 01-28-2009 at 10:50 AM..
Now, Mexico already is an awesome place to live, it is a democratic country, with a free market economy in the trillion dollar class, thanks to the trade agreements we have with a lot of nations around the world, we have access to a lot of cool stuff and technology
Too bad the millions of Mexicans who are living illegally here in the United States do not think Mexico is an awesome place to live.
Mexico will grow, but to catch up to "1st world" countries, it still needs many significant economic reforms.
There was a time when skeptics about Korea thought that they did not have the right culture for growth, and over two years ago they doubted Japan. Now the Asian tigers have challenged that theory. Chile is an example of Latin Growth, maybe the first "Latin Tiger"... something like what Japan was for Asia, they had many modern economic reforms and are one of the freest economies in the world. They are leading the path in terms of income per capita in latin america.
Like China and India, Mexico Brazil and Russia can catch up and put their huge populations to good use by investing in them with greater and better education, encourage savings and investment (both private and public), enforce competition and encouragement investments!
It's not the culture, much like a political campaign slogan: "It's the economy!"
Answer? As a country, no, not even close. However, over time there will be an increasing number of "first-world" neighborhoods, villages, and small cities. The wealthy of Mexico live extremely well and are better educated and more sophisticated than most Americans.
But the dichtomous economy painted above will exist for many more generations, until perhaps Mexico fractures into pieces or there is a serious revolution--in which case odds are it will get worse.
The wealthy of Mexico want to keep their wealth and will use the laws and institutions to serve their needs. The trickle down attracts the mass hordes of Central Americans and rural Mexicans happy enough to live in shanties with the hope of one day breaking through to the middle class.
The mistake most Americans make is to think of Mexico as monolithically poor--not the case at all--or necessarily disadvanatged--which for some cannot be further from the truth.
From the US perspective, the best thing America can do is develop an intelligent immigration plan with respect to Mexico, not the swiss cheese, turn a blind eye one sees now. Ending welfare benefits to illegal migrants is obvious. Sealing the borders with "valves" so we get control is another no-brainer.
From the Mexican perspective, Mexico needs to bleed off its excess labour. Mexico also needs to get its talented professional class experienced in global business, something more easily done with access to the US. Finally, Mexico's institutions of government, the worst in North America, need to reform. Mexico should allow more autonomy to Southern and border states. The Western Hemisphere should decriminalize drugs with governments taking huge stakes such that the profit motive goes to zero. This would transform border towns from dens of filth and vice to prosperous international portals.
But as per usual, governmetns operate without the requisite cajones. As a result, the rich in Mexico will get richer and even more determined to protect their wealth. Most of the unconnected professional class will leave (or need to leave). The hope then rests with the small number of entrepreneurs who wish to build proper companies in Mexico and can operate them from a technocratic/meritocratic basis...these will come but will be inadequate for the needs of an entire country.
Posting blind here, so take that into consideration. This topic has been on my mind and discussed amongst myself and friends quite often. There is no way that Mexico shouldn't be as prosperous as America and Canada. According to all reports, Mexico has as much if not more natural resources, i.e minerals, timber, fish, oil and gas, then the US or Canada.
The problem is quite simple: corruption and graft are quite acceptable to the Mexican people. From the paying off of the local cops or federales for a "speeding ticket" to having to pay 5-6 people just to get a business license, to turning a blind eye when the drug cartels run cities and kill anyone that dares to question them, to the fact that president after president steals millions of dollars and even private jets when they leave office. Until the Mexican people get up off of their collective butts and say, "Enough is enough, this is our country", this will continue. Why should they though, when they can just illegally cross the border and work in a nation where rule of law is the norm?
I was living in Los Angeles when 500,000 illegal and legal Mexicans marched and rallied in downtown Los Angeles. I though to myself imagine if these people cared enough about the corruption in their own country and held this rally in downtown Mexico City. Now that would be change.
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