Death of the small farmer due to government neglect
The Skull of Neoliberalism and the tombstone of the market
Graffiti on the governor's office - "rat's nest" and
"Ulises (the governor), killer of indigenous people
An enormous sand sculpture in front of
main cathedral in Oaxaca's zocolo "jail to Ulises assassin (governor)".
The sculpture lasted over a day before it was removed.
Politicking with the Dead
What better way to do politics than accuse a policy or politician of murder or being dead already? The Day of the Dead is a terrific moment to criticize policy. And it’s not hard to find public policy here that causes death symptoms - slow or rapid bleed or plain old death to Mexico’s poor majority. Take for example, agricultural and trade policy that is bleeding the countryside. Take a look at the photos – plenty of policies in the cross hairs.
Only somewhat related to this theme is a seminar I attended put on by the Universidad de la Tierra (Universidad de la Tierra). It was led by a highly respected social analyst and former government functionary, Gustavo Esteva. He’s a natural popular educator and in his participatory style, he poked people to describe what were the “muertos” – ideologies and concepts either dead or dying – that were turning up floating and bloated in the wake of the global economic crisis. Some of the dead policies and the ideology behind them discussed were: 1) that regulation of banks and general public oversight of the private sector are unnecessary 2) that public sector spending is unnecessary 3) that the United States is a trusted global leader – economically, politically and ideologically – that the U.S. leads the world responsibly. I’d say news of the death of these withering truths is a bit premature but if this economic crisis kills off these ideas once and for all, it will be some solace to the pain felt around the world.
Politicking with the Dead
What better way to do politics than accuse a policy or politician of murder or being dead already? The Day of the Dead is a terrific moment to criticize policy. And it’s not hard to find public policy here that causes death symptoms - slow or rapid bleed or plain old death to Mexico’s poor majority. Take for example, agricultural and trade policy that is bleeding the countryside. Take a look at the photos – plenty of policies in the cross hairs.
Only somewhat related to this theme is a seminar I attended put on by the Universidad de la Tierra (Universidad de la Tierra). It was led by a highly respected social analyst and former government functionary, Gustavo Esteva. He’s a natural popular educator and in his participatory style, he poked people to describe what were the “muertos” – ideologies and concepts either dead or dying – that were turning up floating and bloated in the wake of the global economic crisis. Some of the dead policies and the ideology behind them discussed were: 1) that regulation of banks and general public oversight of the private sector are unnecessary 2) that public sector spending is unnecessary 3) that the United States is a trusted global leader – economically, politically and ideologically – that the U.S. leads the world responsibly. I’d say news of the death of these withering truths is a bit premature but if this economic crisis kills off these ideas once and for all, it will be some solace to the pain felt around the world.
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