A Study On The Change Of Party Politics And Political Transition In Mexico

The development of party politics in Mexico has experienced a process from the Caudillo's military rule to the One-party-dominance system,and then to the multi-party competitive system.It not only promotes Mexican political reform and economic development,but also leads political transitions from Caudillo's military rule to civil service under the political party and from authoritarian system to democratic system.Through Mexico's political development,we can see that the rise,decline and transition of PRI which had held power for a long period influenced and leaded Mexican political development and political transition.From the War of Independence in 1810 to the founding of PNR(the predecessor of PRI)in1929,with the end of anarchy and Oligarchy in Caudillo's age,Mexico had finished the transition from military dictatorship to constitutional system and from Caudillo politics to party system,and was finally on track to institutional road.From 1929 to 2000,the PRI(renamed three times: from PNR to PRM,and then to PRI)had been in office for 71 years,which promoted the economic development and maintained political stability in Mexico.However,since the 1970 s,with the change of situation at home and abroad in Mexico,the damage of PRI's organizational function and the decline of PRI's ruling performance,authoritarian system dominated by PRI encountered the crisis of legitimacy.In order to improve its legitimacy,PRI carried out a series of political reform,especially the electoral reform,which expanded political participation and political diversify.Election in 2000 ended 71 years of rule by PRI and realized the first rotation of ruling party in Mexico.After that,Mexican party system changed from PRI's one-party-dominance to multi-party competitive system which was mainly composed of “three pillar” of PRI,PAN and PRD.12 years later,PRI won the presidential election and return to power again,realized the Second turnover of ruling party in Mexico,which marked the Mexican transition from authoritarian system to democratic system.However,the rotation of ruling party is only a new starting of Mexico's democratic political development,which does not mean the consolidation of democracy.Now,the ruling party is still facing severe challenges,such as how to eliminate corruption,how to maintain social stability,how to narrow the gap between rich and poor and how to develop the national economy.Mexico's political practices told us that for developing countries,if they did not have achieved effective integration of society and political institutionalization,it was necessary to concentrate the power moderately,because it was conducive to maintaining social and political stability.A country's development must accord with its own situation.Similarly,its political reform should also keep adapted to its tradition.In addition,the stability of a regime also requires reasonable and effective public policy,which is advantageous to the national economy and people's livelihood.The history of Mexican party politics and political transition tells us that the reform of the developing countries can't be achieved overnight and it is a twisting and tortuous process.For a country with strong patriarchal forces and profound autocratic tradition,there is still a long way to achieve democracy and the rule of law truly,which will be the work of several generations.