El modelo de exportación de fuerza de trabajo barata en México

Resumen

WE OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE THEORETICAL FORMULATION TO THE PERSPECTIVE THAT MEXICO'S EXPORT-LED MODEL, BASED IN THE RISING GROWTH OF THE FOREIGN TRADE SECTOR WITHIN THE MEXICAN ECONOMY WHEREIN EXPORTS INCREASINGLY CONSIST OF MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS, HAS BEEN A RESOUNDING SUCCESS. WE ARGUE THAT THE MODEL AS CONSTRUCTED IN MEXICO FROM 1986 ONWARD IS NOT ACTUALLY BASED IN THE GROWING EXPORT OF MEXICAN-MADE MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS, BUT RATHER IN THE EXPORTATION OF CHEAP LABOR THROUGH THE ARTICULATION AND COMBINATION OF THREE INTERRELATED PROCESSES: 1. THE EXPANSION OF THE MAQUILADORA INDUSTRY. 2. THE STIMULUS TO THE DISGUISED MAQUILA SECTOR. 3. THE INCREASING EMIGRATION OF MILLIONS OF MEXICAN WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FOR THE NATIONAL LABOR MARKET AS A RESULT OF THE INTERNAL "LOGIC" OF THE EXPORT-LED MODEL. THE CHEAP LABOR EXPORT MODEL HAS CONSTITUTED A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF INDUSTRIAL RESTRUCTURING WITHIN THE U.S. ECONOMY, BEGINNING IN THE 1980S AND CONTINUING UP TO THE MOMENT. THE FORM OF SUBORDINATED ASYMMETRIC INTEGRATION OF THE MEXICAN ECONOMY TO THAT OF THE U.S. WHICH HAS BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE NEW MODEL OF CHEAP LABOR EXPORT HAS UNLEASHED A HARSH, AND ULTIMATELY UNSUSTAINABLE, PROCESS OF DISACCUMULATION THAT NOW MAKES NECESSARY A SWEEPING CHANGE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO BE PURSUED BY MEXICAN POLICYMAKERS.