WHY MEXICO, CHAPTER 8 (Part II)

Can Mexico produce and export capital goods as well as consumer and perishable goods? Can Mexico’s textile industry resurface? Can home industries be part of a national development plan?

Can artists and artisans help economic development?

Can writers help economic development? What is sound 13?

   The current status of the Mexican economy does not guarantee long term success and the “Invisible Hand of God” is abroad. Then, the government must intervene to provide objectives, rules and means to secure the future, as they did in Germany and Japan after the Second World War, or as they are doing in the City of Chicago.

   Below, you will find a list of objectives for the Development Plan of the Mexican Economy that includes ideas from the successful plans of various countries and the City of Chicago.

ü All the equipment and machinery needed to produce renewable energy (Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Solar, Thermal, Biological, etc.) must be manufactured in México. 

ü Machinery and equipment for most possible productive activities should be manufactured in Mexico. If, in some cases, it is convenient to postpone local production of certain equipment, agreements with suppliers and patent owners (when patents are not yet in the public domain), must make this possible in the future.

ü The control of consumer habits must be recovered. To activate their economy Mexicans must consume what they produce. They can achieve this by promoting the harvest of endemic fruits and vegetables, the practice of traditional sports, the support of local artists and craftsmen of all disciplines, etc., and of course, producing all kinds of devices and articles. We are talking about reeducation based on the empowerment of Mexican cultural expressions and the production of high quality articles.

ü Identify areas of opportunity to produce and export capital goods as well as consumer and perishable goods. México must join the group of nations that control fashion and obsolescence.

   All products must meet the requirements of local and international markets.

   The Textile Industry deserves special attention because it was devastated by NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and it still has a great capacity for recovery.

   Mexicans must develop new and imaginative production techniques to prevent unemployment and compete internationally.

   The scheme of small dispersed installations to produce components, which are monitored and coordinated through a data network to ensure timely concurrency in the final assembly lines, can be of use in all types of industries, from clothing to automobiles.

   Home industries can become a very important factor of economic development. Most Mexicans can not invest money to become stockholders, but they can contribute to the work. Many have the ability to produce all kinds of items in the home (clothing, microcircuits, toys, software, musical instruments, sports goods, textiles, etc.), together, they can produce enough to serve national and international markets.

ACCESSORY PLANS:

   Along with actions to reorient the economy, it is desirable to implement plans to:

   Ensure the efficient mobility of goods

   Develop a common national identity

   The promotion of “Sound 13” to reinvent music around the world

ASSURE THE EFFICIENT MOBILITY OF GOODS.

   Mobility is a key factor for the success of any economy. Roads and railroads must assure an efficient mobility of goods and people.

   Air transportation is usually of more cost than ground transportation. Priority must be given to efficient road and railroad transportation of domestic cargo.

   Efficiency in mobility means efficiency in costs, comfort, and safety. Mobility must be friendly with nature and people.

   Regulations should minimize the deterioration of roads and vehicles by setting standards for: 

a)     Materials for roads and railroads

b)    Cargo containers

c)     Tire material

d)    Number of axes vs. weight

   To be friendly with nature and people, you need:

a)     Minimize noise

b)    Reduce pollution. The use of non-fossil fuels is recommended

DEVELOP A COMMON NATIONAL IDENTITY

   A national identity is not the recognition of belonging to a territory, but to enjoy with spontaneous pride what country mates are, do and produce.

   Mexicans do not have a common national identity and must resolve that.

   The National Identity of Mexicans is mainly based on spirituality, and most Mexicans take pride in being Mexican, but they often mention that Mexico’s worst enemies are Mexicans, as if “Mexicans” were an entity different from Mexicans those who speak.

  This comes from the so called “Conqueror” and “Defeated” syndromes, impregnated in Mexican Culture since the colonial era, and now has the additional component of transculturation induced by the economic predominance of the U.S.A.

   Art is an excellent promoter of national identity and has a strong impact on the economic behavior of societies. Mexico has great opportunities in this regard thanks to the quality of its art creators.

   Art is the best way to promote a country and its products. In addition, art is in itself a very profitable product.

   Currently, Mexican art has not been consider as part of the National Economic Development Plan. This must change.

   Plans must be implemented to support the production of art and its commercialization. The objectives to achieve are:

1.     Promote National Identity

2.     Promote locally and abroad what Mexico produces.

3.     Earn money

   Artists from all disciplines as well as artisans and writers, should be part of Mexico’s Economic Development plan.

PROMOTION OF SOUND 13 TO REINVENT MUSIC AROUND THE WORLD

   “Sound 13 will mark the end of an era and the beginning of a new generation of musicians that will change everything, because none of the musical instruments currently in use will remain, as none can produce the overwhelming amount of sounds required. What will be the shape of the new musical instruments? That will be answered in due time according to the division up to the semitone limit”.

                                                                           Julian Carrillo

   Sound 13 is the musical theory of the future, it originated in Mexico and is only known by a few experts in avant-garde music. So far the music industry does not accept Sound 13 because they are comfortable with the musical theories that have been used for thousands of years.

   Julian Carrillo’s musical theory does not propose the disappearance of the music already created, it offers the possibility of creating new music with new sounds.

   This might sound like an overly ambitious goal that comes from a third world country. Anyone who thinks this way should remember that this label is at the most eighty years old, and that Mexico has already changed the world five hundred year ago.

   When the “Old World” learned about Mexico for the first time, everything changed, from the cosmogony to the economy and the ways of living and dreaming.

   It is pure justice to consider if the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution could have happened as they did, without the patronage of the wealth provided by the “New World”.

   Mexico can change the world again, now with new sounds, music, and way of making music.

   Sound 13 can be the star product of a new image of Mexico around the world.

WHY MEXICO, CHAPTER 8 (Part I)

Can Mexico eradicate poverty and become a developed country? 

THE THREAT THAT COMES AND HOW TO TRY WITH IT

   In no more than fifty years, most of the transnational corporations that now have facilities in México, will no longer need Mexican labor, due to automation, so they will migrate to get closer to their natural markets and the Mexican economy will collapse.

   In addition, also in fifty years, Mexican oil sales will decrease due to the use of other sources of energy.

   I used to think that Mexicans were right in saying that for México to succeed, Mexicans had to change.

   Now I am convinced that the only way in which Mexico can survive is to put into practice what Mexicans are, without them remaining inactive waiting for the miracle of becoming what they are not.

   Mexico has the knowledge, institutions, genius, and social values necessary to become a World Economic Power.

   This can be achieved if.

1.     Mexico launches the potential of its people.

2.     México implements a long term Development Plan.

STEP ONE. MEXICO LAUNCHES THE POTENCIAL OF ITS PEOPLE.

   We have to remember that to solve any problem we must described it first.

   That is always a great challenge, especially when the existence of problems is denied.

  That is precisely what Mexicans face. They do not accept or understand the existence of the following problems.

·        Despite the love that all Mexicans have for their country, they lack a common national identity.  Mexicans are divided by many prejudices (including racial prejudice), and are not interested in reviewing them.

·        The history of México hides the fact that the wars of Independence and Revolution benefited only those who were already part of the privileged minorities, perpetuating a culture of exclusion of those who were only taken into account to risk their lives in battles. Mexicans must realize that the least benefited deserve help, and that making amendments is the only way to reduce social tension and see the future with confidence.

·        The education system is producing mainly low-wage labor. Students and their parents tend to deny this until graduates have to accept a low-paid job.

·        Foreign Industries do not provide sustainability to the Mexican economy. Transnational corporations are present in industry, agriculture, and service activities, and benefit national economy through low wages and purchases of consumables, materials, crops and so on. Unfortunately transnational corporations do not have a commitment to the local economy, but to more profitable operations wherever they can be achieved. This makes the Mexican economy very vulnerable to any negative effect technology may have, and forces wages to remain low to be competitive with wages in other countries.

·        Politicians withdraw Public officials at will. This practice produces many negative effects on the performance of the Public Administration. Given that the Public Administration offers all Mexican the possibility of obtaining a well paid job when a friend or close relative is designated for a place of power, many Mexicans have the idea that the permeability of the Public Administration is a benefit instead of a problem.

·        Creditors are abusing Mexicans and the government is allowing that. In general, Mexicans do not see it that way and they even ask for more credit and credit cards because that gives them an idea of security and success that has not logical explanation.

·        There is a common understanding that providers are a natural source of financing. Neither Mexicans nor their government seem to realize that it is a problem and that to solve it, banks must reassume their financial role so that suppliers are no longer use as a banking alternative.

   If these problems are solved, all productive activities will coexist in a less dangerous way.        

STEP TWO. MEXICO IMPLEMENT A LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

   To plan their economy, Mexicans must stop thinking about the classic economic theories of left and right. Mexican politicians have managed to put in place a free market economic model that cannot be classified in any direction.

   Experts in Economy and opinion leaders from the “Left” and the “Right” have been debating that issue without knowing what they are talking about.

   Currently the only philosophy of economics that can vaguely explain what is happening in México is “Savage Capitalism”. Now the best thing that Mexicans can do is to tame the beast they have created.

   Lopez Obrador, the new president of México has mentioned the need for a long term economic development plan and is establishing a promising relationship with industrial organizations and foreign investors.

   Once again, the main opponent of Lopez’s project is the ongoing National Culture.

   It is desirable that Mexicans understand that:

Ø Globalization is here to stay.

Ø Being a provider of low cost workers will not sustain Mexico’s economy for more than 50 years.

Ø Having good figures for the Gross Domestic Product is not evidence of a healthy economic system if the per capita income does not provide stability and social mobility to at least 90% of the population.        

   This last characteristic of a healthy and just economic system is not present in most countries. I think that is why the politicians and ideas against the “state of affairs” are winning elections around the world.