ABSTRACT
The production of petrochemicals for general use is tending to move to countries rich in hydrocarbons. The industries in the most developed countries are being oriented instead toward technology-intensive products, as their budgets for research and development demonstrate. The legal framework for the petrochemical industry is based on the 1917 constitution of the United Mexican States, which states in Article 27, among other considerations, that direct control over oil and all solid, liquid, or gaseous hydrocarbons belongs to the nation. The petrochemical industry began its development toward the end of the 1950s when Petroleos Mexicanos opened its first plant, one for dodecil-benzene, a basic material for the manufacture of detergents. Mexico's industrialization has been characterized by a higher rate of growth in manufacturing than in the rest of the economy. The industrial development of Mexico has been stimulated over the years not only by microeconomic policies but also macroeconomic measures to stimulate the economy.
