La diversidad local frente a la globalización

The author examines the tension between centralism and decentralization in Mexico, highlighting how the historical role of municipalities as mere operators of federal policy hinders local development. Using Oaxaca as a primary example, the text discusses the importance of 'comunalidad' (community-based organization) and the legal recognition of 'usos y costumbres' (customary law) for indigenous governance. It argues that sustainable development requires a shift away from top-down presidentialism toward a model of informed social participation, transparency, and equitable wealth distribution to mitigate the environmental and cultural impacts of globalization.

• Historically, Mexican governance has been characterized by 'presidencialismo' (presidentialism), where state and municipal governments act merely as operators of federal policies and administrators of federal programs, preventing them from actively promoting local development.
• In Oaxaca, municipal diversity is high, with 570 municipalities representing 23.3% of all Mexican municipalities. Of these, 418 elect authorities through 'usos y costumbres' (customary law) and are characterized as indigenous municipalities.
• Indigenous communities in Oaxaca utilize 'comunalidad'—a system of reciprocity and collective resource redistribution—as a survival mechanism and a means of social organization to address poverty and injustice.
• The World Bank-supported 'Fondos Municipales' program in the 1990s aimed to distribute resources non-discretionarily, but it had mixed results: while some local governments improved accountability, others used the program to reinforce a lack of transparency under the guise of municipal autonomy.
• The 1996 San Andrés Accords on Indigenous Rights and Culture recognized the right of indigenous communities to freely designate their representatives and municipal governments according to their own traditions.
• Sustainable development is viewed as incompatible with a globalized economic system that causes cultural homogenization and environmental destruction; true sustainability requires limits on consumption and waste, and an equitable distribution of wealth because the poor suffer most from environmental problems.

APA

Farrera, F. M. (2002). La diversidad local frente a la globalización. World Resources Institute. http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_melo_spanish.pdf

Chicago

Farrera, Fernando Melo. La diversidad local frente a la globalización. World Resources Institute, 2002. http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_melo_spanish.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Farrera |first1=Fernando Melo |title=La diversidad local frente a la globalización |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=February 2002 |url=http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_melo_spanish.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{farrera2002diversidad, author = {Farrera, Fernando Melo}, title = {{La diversidad local frente a la globalización}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2002}, month = feb, url = {http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_melo_spanish.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }