La diversidad local frente a la globalización

This research paper by Fernando Melo Farrera, presented at a World Resources Institute conference in 2002, examines the tension between globalization and local diversity in Mexico. It argues that for municipalities to move beyond being mere operators of federal policy and become promoters of sustainable local development, Mexico must transition from a history of presidential centralism toward genuine decentralization and federalism that respects local autonomy and indigenous governance systems.

• Mexico has historically been characterized by political and economic centralism (presidencialismo), which has reduced state and municipal governments to mere operators of federal policies and administrators of federal programs, hindering their ability to promote local development.
• Decentralization is defined as the transfer of decision-making and policy execution power from the central government to federal entities, municipalities, and the resident society, requiring autonomy, informed social participation, and citizen oversight to be effective.
• 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' (customs and traditions) and are characterized as indigenous municipalities, while 152 use the political party system.
• Indigenous communities in Oaxaca utilize 'comunalidad'—a model of social organization based on reciprocity, redistribution of resources, and obligatory community service—as a survival mechanism and a way to provide services where public institutions are lacking.
• The implementation of Municipal Funds (Fondos Municipales) in the 1990s, supported by the World Bank, had mixed results: while it aimed for non-discretionary resource distribution, it sometimes reinforced local governments that lacked accountability or saw the removal of inclusive Municipal Councils in the name of municipal autonomy.
• The 1996 San Andrés Accords on Indigenous Rights and Culture recognized the right of indigenous communities to freely designate their representatives in municipal governments according to their own traditions, expanding upon the legal recognition already present in Oaxaca since 1995.
• Sustainable development is presented as a challenge that requires reconciling environmental limits with quality of life aspirations, noting that inequitable wealth distribution drives unsustainable behavior because the wealthy consume more resources while the poor suffer more 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} }