This Is Good News

In the century since its revolution, Mexico has had an unusual system, whereby most civil society organizations were controlled by the ruling party - the PRI.  Since the PRI relinquished power in 2000, most civil society organizations have still fallen under control of powerful state and party actors.  Civil society, like labor unions, have always been seen as a powerful support system for democracy, which remains weakly institutionalized in Mexico.

The current wave of strikes in Mexico has been a result of union members gaining independence from the corrupt bosses.  They have been assisted in this by the new president who is really the first true left wing president in Mexico since Lazaro Cardenas in the 1930s.  AMLO, as President Obrador is known, represents some real hope for Mexicans who have labored under a corrupt system of bosses.  

Global inequality as well as inequality within countries is unlikely to be adequately addressed until workers have greater leverage over wages and working conditions.