College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Graduation Date

8-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Department/Program Conferring Degree

International Studies

Keywords

corn, migration, NAFTA, subsidies, Maxico

Abstract

This paper will attempt to show that U.S. corn subsidies that has led to the flooding of Mexican markets with corn, is the primary factor responsible for the internal displacement of rural farmers in Mexico. The NAFTA trade agreement has eliminated trade barriers and placed Mexico’s domestically produced corn in direct competition with U.S. highly subsidized corn that has led to Mexican corn farmers, who comprise the majority of the country’s agricultural sector, to experience a drastic decline in the price of their product causing them to have difficulties in sustaining a living in this market. Therefore, we can see higher levels of migration after NAFTA took effect, displacing a large agrarian population that has abandoned their livelihood to look for new opportunities elsewhere.

Download

Share

COinS