Caciquismo in Twentieth-Century Mexico

Caciquismo—roughly translated as "boss politics"—has played a major role in Mexican political and social life; and caciques of diverse character—political, syndical, agrarian, ‘red’, right-wing and white-collar—have exercised great power within Mexico’s distinctive twentieth-century political system. Indeed, the peculiarities of that system have greatly depended on this kind of informal politics, which combines repression, clientelism and charismatic authority. As such, caciquismo fits uncomfortably within the formal analysis of laws, parties, and elections and has been relatively neglected by academics. Though its demise has often been predicted, it has survived, evolved and adjusted to Mexico’s rapid post-revolutionary transformation. Incorporating the research of historians, political scientists, sociologists, and anthropologists, this book reevaluates the crucial role of the cacique in modern Mexico. It suggests that caciquismo has survived decades of change and upheaval and remains an important, if underestimated, feature of recent Mexican politics.