Deck 15: The Mexican Political System

Question 1

Mexico's history of political stability can be characterized by which of the following statements?

A) Mexico is part of Latin America and can't be expected to be stable.
B) Mexico has been much more stable than the rest of Latin America.
C) Mexico has been among the least stable nations in Latin America.
D) Mexico's political stability has been totally unpredictable.

Answer 1

Mexico has been much more stable than the rest of Latin America.

Question 2

What was the focus of the political violence that broke out state of Chiapas in Southern Mexico?

A) social issues, specifically race
B) social issues, specifically land reform
C) religious causes
D) guerillas crossing the border from El Salvador

Answer 2

social issues, specifically land reform

Question 3

Which of the following has contributed to Mexico's political stability?

A) Mexico's military superiority over its neighbors to the south
B) Balanced budgets and fiscal surpluses in recent years
C) The expansion of mass education in recent years
D) A repressive government willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power

Answer 3

The expansion of mass education in recent years

Question 4

Key principles of Mexican constitutionalism include _____________.

A) separate but equal representation
B) presidential dictatorship
C) judicial review
D) equal justice under law

Question 5

The idea of corporatism as it is used in the Mexican context refers to

A) close interaction of interest groups and government.
B) economic profitability of major corporations.
C) government replacing business in the private sector.
D) control of private property in society.

Question 6

Compared to German länder, Mexican states

A) do not have as much power as their German counterparts.
B) have more power than their German counterparts.
C) are about as powerful as their German counterparts.
D) have both more and less power than their German counterparts, depending upon topic.

Question 7

In Mexican states the chief executive is referred to as the:

A) governor
B) chancellor
C) premier
D) prime minister

Question 8

The primary cause for the weakening of Mexican federalism over time has been

A) American destabilization of the peso.
B) the growing number of Mexican states in existence.
C) judicial review and the Mexican Supreme Court.
D) the overwhelming power of the president in the political system.

Question 9

While the term political development may refer to culture and indigenous institutions, the term political modernization tends to focus on

A) media.
B) technologically advanced urban-industrial centers.
C) social issues, such as fashion and customs.
D) international relations and foreign aid.

Question 10

In recent years there has been much administrative decentralization in Mexico in response to

A) foreign aid needs and requirements of loans Mexico receives from abroad.
B) political party competition in presidential elections.
C) rapid movement of rural residents to urban areas.
D) the quest for profits among Mexican corporations.

Question 11

Mexican federalism, compared to German federalism, is

A) much more centralized.
B) much less centralized.
C) about the same in terms of centralization.
D) Mexico isn't federal, but is unitary.

Question 12

A very rigid requirement to be President of Mexico is that the individual

A) must be male.
B) must have served in the Army.
C) must have an advanced degree in economics.
D) must come from a state with a population of more than 6 million people.

Question 13

Which was the dominant Mexican political party from the time of independence through 2000?

A) National Action Party (PAN)
B) Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
C) Mexican Green Ecologist Party (PVEM)
D) Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)

Question 14

Which has been the dominant national political party since 2000?

A) National Action Party (PAN)
B) Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
C) Mexican Green Ecologist Party (PVEM)
D) Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)

Question 15

The relationship between the president and the Mexican Congress can be described as

A) being dominated by the Congress.
B) being one of stalemate, with each able to block the other.
C) being one impossible to characterize, depending upon the issue area being considered.
D) being dominated by the president.

Question 16

The Mexican Senate's role in the political system is

A) nonexistent; it has recently been done away with.
B) a major player; it is equal to the Chamber of Deputies in its influence.
C) dominant; it is the major actor in the legislative branch.
D) very weak; a rubber stamp for presidential policy proposals.

Question 17

An innovative structure of the Mexican Senate is that

A) senators are chosen in proportional representation elections.
B) senators must spend at least three days each week in their respective constituencies.
C) significant minorities are guaranteed representation through reserved seats.
D) its meetings move around the nation, meeting in each state once a year.

Question 18

How is the 500-seat Chamber of Deputies is elected?

A) multiple-member district voting
B) a combination of single-member-district voting and partial proportional representation
C) proportional representation voting
D) single-member-district voting

Question 19

Which statement is true about Mexico's federal government bureaucracy?

A) It is huge, making up nearly 17% of the country's total work force.
B) It is tiny, making up only 2% of the country's total work force.
C) It is corrupt, recent research has shown nearly 27% receiving payoffs.
D) It is young, the average age of bureaucrats is 32 years.

Question 20

Which is an example of a "quasi-governmental organization" in Mexico?

A) public school teachers
B) senators
C) real estate brokers
D) petroleum exploration and distribution

Question 21

What is the primary cause of the crisis of hyperurbanization in Mexico?

A) environmental disasters
B) poverty and high unemployment
C) Mexico's foreign conflicts with neighbors to the south
D) racial tension in Mexico

Question 22

In 2009 approximately what percentage of Mexico's entire population lived in the greater Mexico City area?

A) 23 percent
B) 5 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 10 percent

Question 23

The North American Free Trade Agreement was intended to respond to lower tariffs and improve trade opportunities and also:

A) increase job opportunities in Mexico
B) secure the military's power in the federal government
C) increase cross-border migration flows
D) increase trade with Japan

Question 24

One of the major concerns of American critics about the North American Free Trade Agreement was that it would result in:

A) more Mexican immigration to the U.S.
B) a decline of Mexican oil production
C) a "belt" of environmental polluters along the Mexican side of the border
D) more low-paying American jobs

Question 25

Breathing the air of Mexico City has been likened to

A) running in a marathon
B) climbing three flights of stairs
C) smoking a pack of cigarettes a day
D) smoking two packs of cigarettes a day

Question 26

An example of political instability in modern-day Mexico includes a military coup taking place over the issue of a stolen presidential election.

Question 27

In the 1970's Mexico had an active and profitable oil industry, but it was affected by the decline in world oil prices.

Question 28

The revolution of 1910-1921 is regarded by most Mexicans as the beginning of modern Mexican politics.

Question 29

Mexico is a federal political system.

Question 30

Mexico has a presidential system of executive power.

Question 31

The term "hyper-urbanization" in Mexico refers to communities thinking that they are really urban when, in fact, they are not.

Question 32

Mexican presidents are elected for five year terms and can be re-elected once.

Question 33

One of Mexico's most famous presidents was Eva Peron.

Question 34

Mexico has a bicameral legislature, with a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate.

Question 35

Mexican senators are elected by proportional representation voting.

Question 36

The political opposition parties are guaranteed a presence in the Chamber of Deputies.

Question 37

One of the charges that dogged the Institutional Revolutionary Party in recent years involved collaboration with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

Question 38

Mexican voting turnout is regularly much lower than that of the United States.

Question 39

Mexico City produces over 14,000 tons of garbage every day, but can process only 8,000 tons.

Question 40

The Mexican Peso Crisis of 1994 caused Mexico to borrow $50 billion from the U.S. The funds were repaid in full, and ahead of schedule.

Question 41

What are the primary reasons that Mexico has had a different history of political stability from the histories of other Latin American nations?

Question 42

Compare Mexico's federal political balance of power with the balance of power that you have met in other federal systems, such as Germany, Canada, or Russia? How does Mexico's compare? Why has it developed as it has?

Question 43

Mexico is a presidential system. How do the president's powers compare to the powers of the prime minister in Britain, the Chancellor in Germany, or the President in France? What is the explanation for the president's powers being as they are?

Question 44

Compare the role of the Mexican bicameral legislature with the role of the Canadian bicameral legislature? Is its primary function in the political system to be making laws? What does it do best?

Question 45

What do you view as Mexico's key economic challenges today? How are Mexico's political institutions well-suited to respond to those challenges? How are they poorly suited to respond to those challenges?