Networks, neoliberalism, and NAFTA: Economic technocrats and policy change in Mexico, 1982-1997

The central hypothesis governing this study is that economic technocrats possessing a common neoliberal orientation and tied into tribal/multi-organizational networks played a central role in Mexico's radical economic and foreign policy transformation which facilitated the successful negotiation of NAFTA. In particular, these individuals played a key role in reshaping the weak institutional structures of the Mexican state in response to external pressures from a changing global economy.; After focusing broadly on three important global trends (i.e., the emergence of a global neoliberal consensus, the rise of economists as key policymakers in developing nations, and the increased importance of network forms of organization), this thesis analyzes the theoretical literature on tribal (camarillas and equipos) and multi-organizational networks (epistemic communities) that will be used to examine the Mexican case. This research project then compares and contrasts Mexico's economic policy and foreign relations with the United States before and after 1982 in order to convey the enormity of the monumental changes that reshaped Mexico. It is followed by a discussion of the historical roots of Mexico's contemporary political system and the changing composition of the nation's ruling political elite.; Utilizing field research and statistical data, this study investigates changes in elite leadership at the individual level by constructing a Technocratic Profile of background and recruitment characteristics which distinguish Mexico's economic technocrats from previous elite groups. This is followed by an examination of elite leadership changes at the group level by studying the tribal networks (camarillas and equipos) of Mexico's technocratic Presidents Carlos Salinas (1988-1994) and Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000). This study also confirms the existence of a technocratic epistemic community in Mexico.; This research project ends broadly by assessing the impact of neoliberalism and the technocratic ascendancy on Mexico, analyzing the comparative similarities and differences that can be generalized from the Mexican case, and discussing this dissertation's contribution to the study of Mexico, U.S.-Mexico relations, and the fields of international politics, comparative politics, and international political economy.