The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies

Realism posits that strong states use compulsory power to influence the behavior of weaker ones. If true, then U.S. policy toward Mexico on a key national security issue such as drugs should illustrate that claim and policy outcomes should reflect U.S. preferences. Yet, in exploring a series of bila...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simon Reich, Mark Aspinwall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2013-12-01
Series:Norteamérica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.revistanorteamerica.unam.mx/index.php/nam/article/view/205
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Summary:Realism posits that strong states use compulsory power to influence the behavior of weaker ones. If true, then U.S. policy toward Mexico on a key national security issue such as drugs should illustrate that claim and policy outcomes should reflect U.S. preferences. Yet, in exploring a series of bilateral case studies, this article suggests that unilateral U.S. government initiatives do not achieve their specified goals. Rather, we argue that Mexico effectively employs a series of “strangulation strategies.” These derail U.S. initiatives and –under specific conditions– result in institutional agreements that proscribe certain forms of behavior and reduce future U.S. autonomy.
ISSN:1870-3550
2448-7228