Introduction of Mexico
The official name of Mexico is ‘United Mexican States’. It was founded in 1821, when it gained independence from Spain. The name Mexico comes from the name of a tribe in the central highlands that made up the Aztec Empire. It is a country located at the southern tip of the North American continent, bordering the United States to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the south. It faces the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Gulf of Mexico (Golfo de Mexico) to the east. In 1846, a large amount of northern territory was lost in the war with the United States. In 1910, the Mexican Revolution brought about meaningful social change. In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA, revised to USMCA in 2021) was signed with the United States and Canada. The administrative region consists of 32 states (estado), including Mexico City.
Economy
Mexico has a developing market economy with strong links to the United States, which has major markets and sources of capital. Mexico’s economy is one of the most influential in Latin America and has grown rapidly since the 1970s. Mexico’s economy relies heavily on services, including trade, transportation, finance and government, which account for about two-thirds of gross domestic product (GDP). Manufacturing accounts for about one-fifth of GDP. Although nearly one-fifth of Mexican workers are employed in the agricultural sector, it accounts for a very small share of GDP, especially as remittances from Mexican workers abroad in the United States amount to billions of dollars each year.
For most of the 20th century, Mexico’s economy was largely characterized by state-owned and mixed-capital enterprises combined with a highly regulated private sector. The government strictly controlled foreign investment and imports and prohibited private investor ownership in many activities, including mining, forestry, insurance, and power generation. Semi-autonomous state-owned enterprises managed the oil industry, produced and distributed electricity, and operated and controlled banks, railroads, airlines, and telecommunications businesses. Additionally, the government regulated the prices of many goods and services.
However, a huge economic change began in the 1980s. Guided by neoliberal economic theory, the government completely deregulated many industries, dismantled state-owned enterprises, welcomed large amounts of foreign investment, and eliminated most import restrictions. It partially privatized the transportation sector, including communications, the energy sector, aviation, railways, and ports. In the mid-1990s, the North American Free Trade Agreement created a free trade area between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. After Donald Trump was elected President of the United States in 2016, the United States began efforts to reestablish this trade relationship, and in 2018 Mexico, the United States, and Canada introduced a number of significant changes to the agreement while preserving much of NAFTA. －The Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed.
Mexico, like other Latin American countries, has experienced a series of boom and bust cycles in its economic history, but various industries and service sectors have helped the economy recover and grow. The economic crisis of the early 1980s was largely fueled by a global decline in oil prices and exacerbated by high interest rates and inflation. Despite a period of dynamic growth in the early 1990s, the Mexican peso was devalued in 1994, plunging the country into a severe, albeit temporary, recession. Lower-middle-class families have been particularly hit as poverty levels and unemployment have increased and foreign capital has left the country. The government stabilized the economy by cutting spending, implementing an economic austerity program, and accepting a controversial U.S.-backed bailout. Subsequent administrations continued to guide the country according to neoliberal theories. Despite fears that manufacturing jobs were being lost to East Asian factories, the economy grew steadily in the early 21st century, driven by a surge in global oil prices and increased demand for consumer goods and oil in the U.S. market.
Society
Although social standardization was achieved to some extent in Mexico through the revolution of 1910-1917, the gap between social classes is still significant. Society is sharply divided according to income and education level. Although the middle class has struggled to expand in the cities, the main divide is between the wealthy, educated elite and the urban and rural poor who make up the bulk of the population.
Widespread rural poverty is a serious problem. A growing proportion of the rural population is landless and relies on day labor, often for less than minimum wage, to survive. In many regions, especially in the north, large landowners form the agricultural elite. By controlling extensive resources and often using modern mechanized farming methods, they receive a large share of the income generated by agriculture. The rural middle class has evolved, but it represents only a small portion of all farmers.
The largest segment of the city’s population is from the lowest socioeconomic classes. Many city residents have incomes below the official poverty level, including a significant proportion of government employees. Squatter settlement, lacking basic services, is a common element in all Mexican cities. In contrast, the relatively wealthy middle and upper income classes enjoy the conveniences of urban life and control most of the country’s social, political, and economic activities.
social security
There are marked differences in health conditions across regions in Mexico. In general, rural areas have much higher mortality rates than urban areas. Areas with large indigenous populations, such as parts of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero, and the isolated mountainous region of Mesa Central have particularly poor health and high mortality rates. There are also large differences in health status between urban social classes. Poor and indigenous Mexicans tend to suffer not only from physical violence but also from diseases related to contaminated water supplies, infections, and respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis. In general, the leading causes of death in Mexico are circulatory diseases, diabetes, cancer, accidents and violence, and digestive and respiratory diseases.
Federally subsidized medical and hospital care is available to all Mexican citizens. Several government agencies operate hospitals, including Mexico’s Social Security Institute and the Institute for Security and Social Services for Government Workers. However, like public education, public healthcare is considered inferior to private healthcare, and those who can afford it use private hospitals.
Hospitals can be found throughout the country, but services beyond basic treatment are only available in cities. The quality of medical services varies across the country, especially in Mexico City. The overall quality of health care in Mexico lags that of the United States and Europe, and many Mexicans travel abroad for more sophisticated surgical procedures and treatments.
Despite government efforts to extend medical care to underserved citizens, rural areas, and poor families, modern medicine is not trusted or is seen as too expensive or difficult to obtain. Traditional healers and shamans may provide healing medicines and other folk remedies.
Education
Mexico made significant efforts to improve educational opportunities for its people after the revolution. In addition to increasing the number of schools for children, adult literacy programs have been actively promoted since the 1970s. By the turn of the 21st century, it was estimated that about nine-tenths of Mexicans were literate, an increase of nearly 20 percent since 1970.
According to the Constitution, elementary education (ages 6 to 11) is free and compulsory, and free education is provided up to middle school. Because private schools are considered to have better educational standards than public schools, families who can afford private school tuition send their children to private schools, contributing to socioeconomic inequality. For high schools and universities, public schools have very low tuition, while private schools have very high tuition. Public schools receive support from the federal government. Even though nearly three-quarters of elementary schools are located in rural areas, this is not enough to meet the primary education needs of poor areas across the country. Many people move to cities to provide their children with a better educational environment and social opportunities derived from education. In many low-income urban areas, as well as rural areas, teachers only need a secondary education to teach.
Despite an increase in the number of classrooms, teachers and educational supplies, about a seventh of all school-age children do not attend school and almost a third of adults have not completed primary school. Almost half of Mexico’s population has completed secondary school, despite the fact that secondary schools are virtually non-existent in rural areas. Universities can only be found in large cities; one-fifth of the more than 50 universities in the country are located in Mexico City, and the majority of all university students study in Mexico City. The National Autonomous University of Mexico, the University of Mexico, and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education are among the most prestigious higher education institutions in Mexico. Although two million college students enroll in courses each year, less than one-eighth of the population earns a professional degree.
Media
The cultural level was greatly improved by the Mexican Revolution. On the media side, the number of daily newspapers has increased significantly. Mexico City is one of the major publishing centers for Spanish-language books and magazines and also has a large number of daily newspapers, some of which are respected for their objectivity and independence. Although newspapers are constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and there is no official censorship, many newspapers have traditionally been silent on criticism of the president and the military. There are local tabloids outside the capital, but they have little national influence. The pro-government “El Universal” (founded in 1916), published in Mexico City with 150,000 copies, and the government-critical “Excelsior” (founded in 1917), published in 130,000 copies, published in Mexico City. El Financiero, a centrist economic daily, and El Norte, a local magazine with a circulation of 120,000 copies in Monterrey, Mexico’s third largest city and industrial city, and 8 million copies in Guadalajara, the second largest city. A representative example is El Occidental, a local magazine with a circulation of 10,000 copies. In addition, about 200 magazines are being published. However, the reading rate of the entire population is low.
Culture
Mexico has a brilliant indigenous civilization of American Indians, including the Mexican Mayan, Aztec, and Toltec civilizations, and a mixed civilization was formed through the introduction of Western civilization through Spanish colonial rule. Currently, it is gradually becoming Americanized due to the influence of the United States, and although there is wariness toward the United States at the bottom of the public consciousness, it is transforming into a society similar to the United States. The people are friendly and optimistic, but they are also exclusive. Feelings toward Asians are good because the ancestors of Mexico’s indigenous people are Asian.
Anniversaries and holidays
Most holidays are associated with Catholic events, including Easter and Christmas. On December 12th, the ‘Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint’ is held. For several weeks in January, the city of Morelia celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, and on January 17, many local pets and livestock are decorated with flowers and ribbons for the Feast of Antonio Abad. Worldwide, Mexico is known to celebrate ‘Day of the Dead’ on November 1, which is also the Catholic ‘All Souls’ Day’. Around Day of the Dead, families remember the spirits of their loved ones in a variety of ways, including setting up small altars in their homes, decorating graves, and eating skull-shaped candies and sweet bread. It is not only a celebration of ancestors, but also a process of accepting death as natural rather than fearing it.
October 12th is Columbus Day, and in Mexico it is celebrated as ‘Race Day (Día de la Raza)’ to commemorate the birth of the mestizo. May 1st is Labor Day, and Mexico, like other countries, designated this day as a public holiday. The most widely celebrated patriotic events are Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the victory over French invaders in 1862, and Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo is May 5th. Independence Day commemorates the day Father Miguel Hidalgo sang ‘The Cry of Dolores’ on September 16, 1810, and is observed every year on September 16. On the eve of Independence Day, crowds gather in squares across the country and events are held to reenact the 1810 declaration of independence by Miguel Hidalgo, bishop of the Diocese of Dolores, and political leaders also participate. The president will hold this event with the crowd on the terrace of the Presidential Palace in Mexico City’s Zocalo Square. In addition, the third Saturday of March every year is designated as a public holiday as it is the birthday of Benito Juárez, who laid the foundation for the current republic.
Diet
Food culture varies depending on region and economic level, but is highly dependent on corn, beans, and pumpkin. Rice is another staple food that is usually served with beans. Additionally, Mexicans use a variety of ingredients, including avocados, peppers, amaranth, tomatoes, papaya, potatoes, lentils, platinum bananas, and vanilla. Hot peppers and salt are the most common seasonings. Corn tortillas are often served with the main dish. Dairy products and commonly fried meat are consumed only by the middle class and above, but they contribute to high rates of heart disease and diabetes. Among the low-income class, consumption of cheap imported processed meats is on the rise.
‘Mole’ is a representative Mexican traditional food made with chicken, pork, turkey, beef, etc. served with a special sauce. This sauce is made based on dried chillies such as ancho, guajillo, pasilla, and chipotle. Popular foods vary depending on region and individual circumstances, but the most widely consumed include tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas made with tortillas, a thin corn pancake. In general, a food served with vegetables, meat, and sauce in a tortilla is called a taco, a food wrapped with meat wrapped in a tortilla and sprinkled with sauce is called an enchilada, and a food folded with cheese in a tortilla and baked is called a quesadilla. In addition, there are also tamal, a bread made by wrapping cornmeal in corn husks or banana leaves and steaming it, and torta, a type of sandwich made with chicken or pork. In addition, menudo and pozole, made with beef tripe and fresh vegetables, are also widely consumed foods. Chilpachole (spicy crab soup), ceviche (seafood marinated in lime or lemon juice), octopus and other seafood dishes can be found in abundance in coastal areas. In some regions, including Oaxaca, fried grasshoppers are considered a delicacy. The ingredient called Huitlacoche is a type of corn mold and is popular as an ingredient in quesadillas.
Instead of water, meals are served with drinks such as a red drink made from a type of hibiscus called Jamaica, a drink made from milk and rice called Horchata, or a drink flavored with watermelon or other fresh fruit. Also popular are sodas, liqueurs (fruit shakes or smoothies), and fresh orange juice.
Alcoholic beverages made from agave, such as tequila and mezcal, are produced, and in some regions, wine is also produced. Domestic and imported beer are also in high demand among alcohol consumers. Atole, made by adding spices to corn or rice, is popular during the Christmas holidays and Day of the Dead.
Churros are something you often eat in the morning, buy from street vendors or local coffee shops, and eat on the way to work or school. Many families still gather for a large lunch at 2 or 3 p.m., followed by a siesta, but that tradition has largely faded due to company-mandated lunch hours and long commutes from Mexico City. . Huge supermarkets now exist alongside local ferias (markets), but outdoor street markets are still active in many urban areas as well as smaller towns.
Art and Film
Perhaps the most widely known Mexican art form is mural painting, which was greatly influenced by the extant art and architecture of the Aztecs, Mayans, and other pre-Columbian civilizations. The murals depicting aspects of the Mexican Revolution, national modernization, and class struggle by representative muralists Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros have become legendary. . Orozco is the most popular of Mexico’s folk artists. His animated plaster casts of Paris are satirical yet realistic. Other famous artists include Nicolás Enríquez, Rufino Tamayo, and Frida Kahlo.
Popular Mexican writers include Samuel Ramos, whose philosophical speculations about Mexico’s humanity and culture influenced writers in many genres, critic and poet Octavio Paz, and novelist Carlos Fuentes. Fuentes), Juan José Arreola, etc. Among the playwrights are Rodolfo Usigli, Luisa Josefina, and Emilio Carballido.
Mexico has a long theater tradition with numerous professional, academic and indigenous organizations. Lucha Libre (Mexican professional wrestling), with its masked heroes and cheering crowds, can also be considered a form of theater. However, there is now greater dependence on television and other electronic media than on theatrical performances. These are telenovelas, game shows, sporting events, musical variety shows, and a series of movies. Many of the most popular programs are produced within Mexico, but others are imported from Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil or other Latin American countries.
Like other Latin American countries, music and dance are integral to Mexican culture. Although traditional music, including mariachi and ranchero songs, has recently found itself competing with hip hop and salsa, countless popular songs have been passed down from generation to generation, uniting families and sharing local and national cultures. It gave rise to a shared sensibility that provided social glue. In addition to creating their own music, many Mexicans enjoy Latin imports such as cumbia and danson, as well as various styles of rock and pop music.
Mexico’s film industry is one of the largest in Latin America, but the nationally preferred genre is Hollywood movies dubbed in Spanish. Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, known for films such as Amores Perros (2000) and Babel (2006), Ituma Matambien (2001), Children of Mac (2006), and Gravity (2013). A number of Mexican actors and filmmakers have achieved international recognition, including Alfonso Cuarón of Pan Piro (2006) and Guillermo del Toro of Pacific Rim (2013). In 2014, Cuarón became the first Mexican director to win the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Gravity. Spanish director Luis Buñuel and French surrealist André Bretagne both spent many years in Mexico, and their influence can be seen in the work of current Mexican directors. In 2002, Selma Hayek became the first Mexican actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Sports
As in most of Latin America, soccer is popular with Mexicans of all ages. From small towns to Mexico City, virtually all business and activities come to a halt when the Mexican national team plays in a World Cup match. Mexico hosted the World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986.
Baseball was introduced in the late 19th century, and several Mexican players distinguished themselves in the American major leagues, most notably pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who won the Cy Young Award in 1981. Mexican boxers and long-distance runners have also achieved great success in international competition, including lightweight boxing champion Julio César Chávez. In 1968, Mexico became the first developing country to host the Olympics, and Mexico City was the site of the Summer Olympics.
Conclusion
It is a country in the southwestern part of North America. This is an area where the Mayan, Toltec, and Aztec Indian civilizations originated. It was under Spanish colonial rule from 1521, but independence was established on September 16, 1810, and independence was established through the Agreement of Córdoba in 1821.