ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on some economic, political and social aspects of Mexico’s unfortunate experience in the 1980s, but because the conditions all over Latin America are somewhat similar, the account should also be applicable at least in general terms to the region as a whole. In order to prevent the 1990s from becoming another “tragic decade,” the economic strategies Mexico pursues should be directed not only toward resumption of economic growth, but also toward a more even distribution of the burden of the crisis during the 1980s. Examining some demographic factors will help in evaluating the magnitude of the social problems the economic crisis has caused for Mexico. The impact of measures meant to heal the domestic economy, such as devaluing the peso and eliminating the fiscal deficit, which raise the price of consumer goods and reduce real urban income, should be carefully weighed against other economic policy options.
