The most powerful states have more opportunities to preserve their autonomy on the global arena than poorer states; moreover, powerful nations can have a significant impact on other countries, as well as impose their will on them. In spite of the fact that globalization influences all states, powerful countries are affected positively, and their impact in the world strengthens when states with weaker economies can face many challenges and barriers. The most vivid example of this phenomenon is the relations between the United States as a powerful state and Mexico as a poorer state. Although globalization is associated with creating many international organizations, treaties, and unions to control global economic processes, countries like the United States take the leading positions in these organizations, and, as a result, they can preserve their autonomy to much extent. Furthermore, being one of the most influential countries in the world, the United States can easily impose its will on Mexico as a vulnerable neighbor.
In order to be viewed and discussed as a powerful state, a country should demonstrate a stable economic growth, have a lot of different types of resources, have a significant military power, take a leading and influential position in international organizations, and demonstrate a considerable impact on global political and business processes. While following these criteria, it is possible to note that the United States can be considered as a powerful country which role in the world is significant. However, it is also important to pay attention to the fact that the economic and social states of Mexico do not allow for speaking about this country as an influential one in relation to global tendencies (O’Neil et al. 604).
While focusing on other capacities of powerful states to keep their influence in the context of a globalized world, it is important to refer to the example of international unions and treaties. Both the United States and Mexico are members of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The NAFTA is an international treaty that regulates trade relationships between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The treaty was signed in 1992, and its purpose was to reduce the barriers associated with trade relationships of these three countries (O’Neil et al. 603).
On the one hand, this treaty was aimed at regulating sales between the three nations to overcome challenges and disputes and provide more benefits while creating a space for trade. On the other hand, the NAFTA can be viewed as an agreement according to which the United States receives all possible benefits, and Mexico faces a lot of challenges associated with decreasing the number of jobs and affecting markets. According to O’Neil et al., “whether NAFTA has created more winners than losers is a hot topic of debate within Mexico” (604). Thus, many economic challenges for Mexico are caused by new trade relationships.
As a result, it is possible to note that this treaty provides the United States as a powerful country with many advantages and opportunities to accentuate its autonomy, and it also gives instruments to impose its will on Mexico as a dependent state. From this point, it is important to note that economically dependent countries experience a significant pressure in a globalized world because the state of their economies makes governments rely on the investments of powerful states. As a consequence, these developed states dictate their rules to poorer countries. This situation can be observed with reference to Mexico and its relationship with the United States. Thus, “the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship, however, was (and remains) asymmetrical: the U.S. economy is far more vital to Mexico than Mexico’s is to the United States” (O’Neil et al. 602). This imbalance explains the distribution of forces in the region.
Furthermore, one should note that the active development of a global market has made powerful nations invest in their poorer partners. Hence, the United States focused on investing in Mexico while making its economy even more dependent on the U.S. one. In this context, the position of Mexico can be viewed as rather vulnerable (O’Neil et al. 602). If the United States plans to realize certain strategies in the field of economy, business, or trade, it is rather easy for this country to involve Mexico in these processes while proposing conditions which are more advantageous for the United States than for Mexico.
While referring to a long history of the relationships between these two countries, it is almost impossible to ignore their role for each other. Still, in this context, it is important to focus on the idea of preserving the U.S. autonomy one more time: the gains of the United States associated with Mexico are significant, but negative changes in these relations will influence Mexico rather than the United States. According to O’Neil et al., “Mexicans continue to resent what they view as heavy-handed intervention in Mexican domestic affairs as well as unfair treatment” (607). These words are appropriate to illustrate the complex character of relations between the two countries.
Still, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the economy of Mexico seems to be vulnerable only while discussing this state in comparison to the United States as a powerful nation. However, the economic development and the overall progress of this country in comparison to other Latin American states are rather remarkable. Thus, it is important to note that today, “Mexico is one of Latin America’s most open economies” (O’Neil et al. 562). It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that Mexico is a leading importer and exporter of products in this region, without referring to North American countries. From this point, Mexico is one of the most influential countries in Latin America, and its rapidly developing economy is discussed as the largest one in this region. Therefore, under certain conditions, Mexico can impose its will on Latin American partners. Still, the role of this country in the world in the context of globalization is rather insignificant.
However, in spite of the impact that the United States has on Mexico and other countries in the world, powerful states cannot guarantee that their will and intentions can be imposed on all nations globally. From this point, it is possible to speak about a certain limit related to the impact of powerful states on economies and international relations. Therefore, the extent to which developed countries can influence other states is rather measurable or noticeable: the leading nations in the world can significantly influence those states that directly depend on them in terms of economic and political ties, but they cannot influence all poor countries globally because their power is limited.
Work Cited
O’Neil, Patrick, et al. Cases in Comparative Politics. W. W. Norton & Company, 2015.