agricultural sector, ethnic discrimination, Ethnic groups, horizontal inequality, indigenous population, municipal level, nafta, trade liberalization, trade reforms, Indigenous Peoples, Trade Policy, Mexico
Trade Policies and Ethnic Discrimination in Mexico

Given that the indigenous population in Mexico is the poorest segment of its society, this paper explores how inequality has been affected by the trade liberalization put into effect after the eruption of the debt crisis in the early eighties and the coming into force of NAFTA. The focus is on the agricultural sector for two reasons: first, the regions with the highest concentration of indigenous population are specialized in agriculture; second, agriculture has been identified as the main loser from trade liberalization. The paper presents direct and indirect evidence on discrimination at the municipal level and concludes that trade reforms contributed to a worsening of the relative position of the indigenous people, or an increase in horizontal inequality.

Link: http://www.networkideas.org/working/nov2011/03_2011.pdf
Added by View user profileSonia Hossain on December 14, 2011