In 2006, more than 30% of all immigrants residing in the United States were Mexicans, accounting for one tenth of the entire Mexican population (Migrationinformation). This makes Mexico the most important and most consistent sending country for immigrants to the U.S. The co-existence of two very different worlds in the geographical space North America, divided by one of the most secure borders in the world, leads not only to cultural influences, but also to the adaptation of socioeconomic and political ideas. Especially the fact that Mexico and the United States have very different political and socioeconomic conditions emphasizes the oppositional relationship between the two countries. In the face of such a strong and powerful neighbour, migration is always an option, a last resort, especially for Mexicans from rural communities that struggle with poor working conditions and low wages. Interestingly, this creates a certain type of migration known as transmigration. This transmigration occurs only due to socioeconomic reasons, especially labour conditions, and allows migrants to frequently travel back and forth between their home- and their host country. Since many of these transmigrants are young men who leave their families behind to earn money that they can then send back home in the form of financial remittances, different patterns of communication between these migrants and their relatives back home can be analyzed.
This paper will first outline the situation of Mexican migrants to the United States, give a brief overview of their backgrounds and the demographic situation, and then turn to the push—factors for migration. It will especially focus on labour rights and working conditions in Mexico and the prospects for migrants arriving in the United States. After that
the concept of ‘Social Remittances‘ as a form of cultural diffusion will be introduced and
the quality of ideas and experiences that are transmitted through a transnational space from Mexicans residing in the U.S. to their families and community members back home will be explained. The paper will then turn to an analysis of these social remittances and explain how they can influence political participation and activism of individual community members. This analysis serves to support the thesis that migration has a direct influence on the process of democratization from below, especially when it comes to labour rights and other socioeconomic issues.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Demographics of migration
3. Labour rights as push—factors for migration
4. Social Remittances
5. Local Activism and International Pressure
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the influence of migration from Mexico to the United States on the process of democratization in Mexico, specifically focusing on how social remittances—the transfer of ideas, experiences, and cultural patterns—affect political participation and activism within rural communities.
- Demographic trends in Mexican migration to the U.S.
- Socioeconomic factors and labour rights as drivers for migration.
- The concept of transmigrants and transnational social spaces.
- Mechanisms of social remittances and their impact on democratization.
- Local activism, international pressure, and political change in Mexico.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Labour rights as push—factors for migration
There are multiple reasons for Mexicans to emigrate to the United States; most of them have to do with socioeconomic circumstances, especially working conditions. Based on the assumption that labour rights are a human right (ILO) it can be stated that most of the migration from Mexico to the United States occurs in fact due to human rights related reasons. Mexico has a long and difficult history of labour rights struggles, and the implementation of neoliberal reforms on the one hand and democratization on the other has led to a dual shift for labourers. These changes “simultaneously increased the voice of actors in civil society (such as labor) while giving them more reason to protest (declines in wages, the disappearance of trade protection, and the privatization of many state-owned industries)“ (Smith 2005: 241). Especially rural communities were facing numerous problems of land distribution and poor labour conditions. Massey and Durand (1992: 34-35) list three situations that these people faced:
In communities where land was owned by a large hacienda, the Reparto Agrario led to out-migration because it provided small parcels of land that were insufficient to support a family or gave land but no capital to enable farming. In communities where some households owned parcels but others owned nothing, the resulting political strife brought about the economic and political ruin of small landowners, who turned to U.S. migration as a means of supporting themselves. In other communities, landowners and priests frightened towsnpeople into not applying for land under the Reparto Agrario, leaving them landless and open to recruitment by U.S. employers during the 1940s.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the demographic significance of Mexican migration to the U.S. and establishes the theoretical framework of transmigration and social remittances as catalysts for change.
2. Demographics of migration: This chapter analyzes the shifts in migrant profiles, noting that while migration is often initiated by single working males, it evolves over time to include women and children through established transnational networks.
3. Labour rights as push—factors for migration: This section investigates how poor working conditions, neoliberal reforms, and land distribution issues in rural Mexico serve as primary socioeconomic motivations for emigration.
4. Social Remittances: The chapter defines social remittances as a form of cultural diffusion and explains how the transnational experience alters migrants' perspectives on democracy, rights, and political participation.
5. Local Activism and International Pressure: This analysis explores how migration influences political engagement and activism in home communities and the role of international pressure in prompting government accountability.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes findings, emphasizing that transmigrants act as conduits for political and social ideas that challenge existing power structures and drive democratization from below.
Keywords
Migration, Mexico, United States, Transmigration, Social Remittances, Labour Rights, Democratization, Transnational Space, Rural Communities, Globalization, Political Participation, Activism, Neoliberal Reforms, Cultural Diffusion, Socioeconomic conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The paper examines how migration between Mexican rural communities and the United States impacts the democratization process and social reform in Mexico, specifically through the lens of social remittances.
What are the central themes of the work?
Key themes include transnational migration patterns, the socioeconomic push-factors related to labour rights, the creation of transnational social spaces, and the resulting influence on political activism.
What is the main research objective?
The primary objective is to support the thesis that migration serves as a mechanism for "democratization from below," where transferred ideas and experiences influence political participation in the migrants' home country.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The paper utilizes a qualitative literature analysis, synthesizing theories from migration studies (e.g., Pries, Levitt) and political science to connect migration flows to local political transformations.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The body covers demographic shifts, labour-related push factors, the transmission of ideas via social remittances, and the connection between migration and local political activism.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Migration, Transnational Space, Social Remittances, Democratization, and Transmigration.
How do transmigrants differ from other types of immigrants?
Transmigrants are defined by their frequent, intentional movement between home and host countries, allowing them to sustain strong social and political connections to their communities of origin.
What role does international pressure play in the author's argument?
The author argues that the sheer scale of the Mexico-U.S. migration flow draws international attention, which in turn pressures the Mexican government to address socioeconomic and political conditions to remain accountable.
How do financial remittances relate to social remittances?
Financial remittances often serve as proof of successful migration under better socioeconomic conditions, making the associated social remittances—the ideas and cultural patterns—more attractive and credible to those remaining in Mexico.
- Citar trabajo
- Antonia Lilie (Autor), 2012, Migration, Transnational Space, and Social Remittances between Mexican Rural Communities and the United States, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/193915
