Economy as Grand Guignol: The Postreform Era in Mexico

This article provides a glimpse into the narcotic industry in Mexico, which is slowly becoming an unstoppable major export industry. It studies the growth of the narco-industrial complex and how this reflects the continuous inefficiency of law enforcement. It examines the output and input sides of the industry, its distributional system, and the underground international arms trade. It also notes that while the expansion of the narcotics industry has been a “success”, the government—as well as the markets—has failed. The latter part of the article examines Mexico's economic growth and...

This article provides a glimpse into the narcotic industry in Mexico, which is slowly becoming an unstoppable major export industry. It studies the growth of the narco-industrial complex and how this reflects the continuous inefficiency of law enforcement. It examines the output and input sides of the industry, its distributional system, and the underground international arms trade. It also notes that while the expansion of the narcotics industry has been a “success”, the government—as well as the markets—has failed. The latter part of the article examines Mexico's economic growth and compares it to other Latin American countries.