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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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
2013-12-01
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| Series: | Norteamérica |
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| Online Access: | https://www.revistanorteamerica.unam.mx/index.php/nam/article/view/205 |
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| author | Simon Reich Mark Aspinwall |
| author_facet | Simon Reich Mark Aspinwall |
| author_sort | Simon Reich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-30158e90b9504eb2a0bca0e45c29349e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1870-3550 2448-7228 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-12-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Norteamérica |
| spelling | doaj-art-30158e90b9504eb2a0bca0e45c29349e2025-08-20T02:57:33ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoNorteamérica1870-35502448-72282013-12-018210.20999/nam.2013.b001The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug StrategiesSimon Reich0Mark Aspinwall1Rutgers Universitycide, University of EdinburghRealism 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. https://www.revistanorteamerica.unam.mx/index.php/nam/article/view/205drugsautonomyinstitutionalismunilateralismbilateralismstrangulation strategies |
| spellingShingle | Simon Reich Mark Aspinwall The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies Norteamérica drugs autonomy institutionalism unilateralism bilateralism strangulation strategies |
| title | The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies |
| title_full | The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies |
| title_fullStr | The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies |
| title_short | The Paradox of Unilateralism: Institutionalizing Failure In U.S.-Mexican Drug Strategies |
| title_sort | paradox of unilateralism institutionalizing failure in u s mexican drug strategies |
| topic | drugs autonomy institutionalism unilateralism bilateralism strangulation strategies |
| url | https://www.revistanorteamerica.unam.mx/index.php/nam/article/view/205 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT simonreich theparadoxofunilateralisminstitutionalizingfailureinusmexicandrugstrategies AT markaspinwall theparadoxofunilateralisminstitutionalizingfailureinusmexicandrugstrategies AT simonreich paradoxofunilateralisminstitutionalizingfailureinusmexicandrugstrategies AT markaspinwall paradoxofunilateralisminstitutionalizingfailureinusmexicandrugstrategies |