Camp, Hope H., Jr.

English

Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Case Western Reserve Journal ofInternational LawVolume 12 | Issue 31980Mexico: Economic Independence as a Basis forTies to the United StatesHope H. Camp Jr.Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/jilPart of the International Law CommonsThis Foreword is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Journals at Case Western Reserve University School of Law ScholarlyCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law by an authorized administrator of Case WesternReserve University School of Law Scholarly Commons.Recommended CitationHope H. Camp Jr., Mexico: Economic Independence as a Basis for Ties to the United States, 12 Case W. Res. J. Int'l L. 453 (1980)Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/jil/vol12/iss3/2Mexico: Economic Independence as a Basis forTies to the United Statesby Hope H. Camp, Jr.*It is fitting that this issue of the Journal of International Law fo-cuses on Mexico. The United States needs to understand the promisesand problems of its booming neighbor. Mexico's significance to theUnited States is vital. The bulk of Mexico's oil and natural gas exports goto the United States. Mexico's population is exploding and the Mexicangovernment is concerned with creating enough employment for its people.The United States is concerned because thousands of Mexicans come tothe United States each year without proper documentation and seekemployment.To the extent that promise becomes reality in Mexico, the UnitedStates will benefit in securing another force for political stability. Thepolitical system of Mexico has been stable for 60 years. The system iscontrolled by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (Institutional Rev-olutionary Party) which is supported by organized labor, farm worker'sorganizations and business.Nevertheless, the citizens of the United States must understandMexico's continuing struggle for independence. Mexico insists on eco-nomic independence and self-determination. Mexico expresses this desirethrough its policies with respect to petroleum and other natural re-sources. Although primarily an expression of land reform, Mexico's spe-cial system of communal farms also reflects its strong determination to beindependent. The search for independence is seen in Mexico's policy ofstate ownership of rail transportation and tight control of other means oftransportation. But nowhere is the thrust toward greater independencemore apparent than in Mexico's industrial development policies.Those policies have been articulated in a number of planning devices.The planning device that constitutes the most comprehensive expressionof Mexico's industrial development policies is the National Industrial De-velopment Plan, published in February of 1979. The Plan puts under"one roof" a series of industrial planning devices, almost all of which also* B.A. (1956), David Lipscomb College; LL.B. (1959), Tulane University;, LL.M. (1961),Northwestern University. The author is admitted to the following bars: Louisiana; Indiana;California; Illinois; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana; U.S. District Court,Central District of California; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.CASE W. RES. J. INT'L L.include fiscal incentives. The plan describes the industrial priority sectorsand geographical zones of the country in which investment is encouraged.In order to make the invitation to invest more attractive, a comprehen-sive scheme of fiscal incentives is offered. In order to encourage the inte-gration of basic petrochemical products in finished products, especiallyproducts suitable for export, the Plan offers reduced rates for natural gasand electricity.In terms of the theme of this issue of the Journal, the Plan-moresignificantly, the basic bias of the Plan-is fundamental. The State willdirect the economic development of Mexico. The industrial priorities andpreferred geographical zones are designed to require that the oil takenfrom the ground will not simply be consumed, either at home or abroad,as simply a source of energy. Rather, factories are being built to producefertilizers, plastics and secondary petrochemical products that will addsubstantial value to the oil. These higher priced finished products createemployment, advance technological development, and in sum, thrustMexico further and faster toward her goal of greater independence.Read the articles in this issue of the Journal against this backgroundand you may conclude, as I have, that the extensive involvement by Mex-ico's government in the economic life of the country and the laws regulat-ing foreign investment and technology transfer are an expression of Mex-ico's individual search for independence. Furthermore, you willappreciate Mexico's search for an appropriate place in an uncertain andinterdependent world. Finally, and of greatest importance to all of us inthe United States, you may appreciate to a greater extent Mexico's in-creasing importance in the world.Vol. 12:453

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Mexico: Economic Independence as a Basis for Ties to the United States

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