Mexico City Lecture and Video Questions, Essay Example

Mexico City Lecture Questions

1. How did the Spanish reshape the Aztec capital?
   The Aztec capital of Tenochitlan was destroyed by the Spanish and conquered Mexico in 1521, and built a Spanish city (Mexico City) on top of it as a European-type city with elaborate buildings. This was during the Colonial era. The Spanish also destroyed the native religion and replaced it with Catholicism for which they used the slave labor of the native people to build elaborate cathedrals. They also built governmental buildings. They showed dominance over the natives, mainly by their large religious and governmental presence.
2. How did Porfirio Diaz modernize Mexico City? What were the benefits vs. the problems?
   The descendants of the natives revolted in Mexico in 1810 and 1877 a military dictator named Porfirio Diaz took over power by imposes order on anarchaic Mexico to create a modernized state. He did this by advocating for foreign investment in Europe and the United States as well as importing technology from Europe and the United States and rebuilds Mexico City as a European-type city to include elegant boulevards and housing. This leads to another problem with revolution in the early 1900s.
   
3. How did the socialism of the post Revolutionary era reshape Mexico City? How did they try to create a modern city in the socialist style?
   In the 1930s, the revolutionary party, the PRI and the Cardenas, worked to bring Mexican culture over the top of foreign influence in Mexico. They also reshaped Mexico by encouraging Mexican industrial development through a program called Import Substitution which lead the way for Mexico to produce its own industrial goods. This occurred between the 1930s and 1970s. This program was very successful and the city thrives. They tried to create a modern city in the socialist style by building neoclassical-style buildings, creating large educational opportunities, making infrastructure improvements, creating a subway system and developing public housing.
4. What was the industrial policy of the modern ruling party and how did it impact Mexico City?
   Mexico City was impacted by a multi-party system of industrial party and the modern ruling party by neoliberalism (free market). Modern office parks and residential high rises for the elite emerged in certain districts. Additionally, Mexico City’s total population grew. However, after the NAFTA agreement in the 1990s, a lot of the industrial business relocated close to the border to take advantage of tax breaks, and this caused a decrease in population.
5. How have the poor found space near Mexico City? What kinds of settlements have they created?
   The slum cities are where people can take unused land, under the authority of the PRI system, and build their own houses. This created these irregular settlements called the slum cities and slum districts.
6. How has neoliberalism reshaped the city?
   Neoliberalism reshaped the city by encouraging the abolishment of aspects of the city like public housing and was more inclined toward a free market society. It encouraged the development of the private sector to create wealth.

Mexico City Video Questions

1. What are the problems and strengths identified in Mexico City in the 2 videos?
   The strengths outlined in the two videos present Mexico City as a thriving city that has been reshaped twice and transformed into a modern, European-style model city. Its industry and infrastructure was improved and increased. Also, city’s educational platform grew to draw national attention. The city also experienced rapid population growth. Problems identified include two major revolts and the destruction of the city. Also, the poor of the city were forced to build settlements on the outskirts and they live in slums. The city has no real structure and the crime rate is high. There is also much social divide.
2. Based upon the lecture that I have given, and description of life in Mexico City in the 1st video, why would bus rapid transit work better in Mexico City as compared to a city like Chicago?
   A bus rapid transit would work better in Mexico City because there are so many people who live on the outskirts of the city in the slums that could use transportation into the inner most parts of the city.
3. Why is a bus rapid transit system financially reasonable for a place like Mexico City?
   A bus rapid transit system is reasonable, financially, for Mexico City because it is a way to bring workers into the city from the slums who will work for lower wages. Also the amount of people using the bus system would pay for it in their fares.
4. How does the organization of the system reflect the neoliberal (privatized) vision of Mexican government today?
   The organization of the system reflects the neoliberal vision of the government by encouraging the private sector. The system creates jobs and brings in private sector profits to the city.