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Difference between revisions of "Mordida (Mexico)"
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There are several reasons why the ''mordida'' is a pervasive practice in Mexico. Firstly, the ''mordida'' is widely viewed as necessary because of the perception that Mexican laws and regulations are so difficult to comply with that people feel they are left with no choice but to find an arrangement through extra-legal means<ref>Morris, S. D. 2003. ‘Corruption and Mexican Political Culture’, Journal of the Southwest, 45(4): 671–708.</ref>. Furthermore, excessive red tape is often exploited by unscrupulous bureaucrats, who arbitrarily come up with endless requirements to complete an administrative process. For instance, it is not uncommon for people seeking everyday public services (renewing a driving licence, obtaining a birth certificate, regularising a land title, applying for construction permits etc.) to be asked to present documents never mentioned before or listed anywhere, or to be sent through an endless succession of queues. Alternatively, as Coronado<ref>Coronado, G. 2008. ‘Discourses of Anti-Corruption in Mexico. Culture of Corruption or Corruption of Culture?’, PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, 5(1), http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/portal/article/view/479</ref> narrates, the public official can also play upon the possibility that the applicant’s documents may ‘get lost’ or the procedure could be ‘delayed’; it is not uncommon to ask for a ‘tip’ after the paperwork has been submitted, ‘ahí lo que quiera dar para la cooperación del juez’ (‘whatever you would like to give for the judge’s cooperation’). The overall effect of these patterns is to create a sense of unpredictability when citizens engage with state officials. Not surprisingly, in some cases, citizens resort to a ''mordida'' as a preemptive action just to avoid time-consuming procedures. | There are several reasons why the ''mordida'' is a pervasive practice in Mexico. Firstly, the ''mordida'' is widely viewed as necessary because of the perception that Mexican laws and regulations are so difficult to comply with that people feel they are left with no choice but to find an arrangement through extra-legal means<ref>Morris, S. D. 2003. ‘Corruption and Mexican Political Culture’, Journal of the Southwest, 45(4): 671–708.</ref>. Furthermore, excessive red tape is often exploited by unscrupulous bureaucrats, who arbitrarily come up with endless requirements to complete an administrative process. For instance, it is not uncommon for people seeking everyday public services (renewing a driving licence, obtaining a birth certificate, regularising a land title, applying for construction permits etc.) to be asked to present documents never mentioned before or listed anywhere, or to be sent through an endless succession of queues. Alternatively, as Coronado<ref>Coronado, G. 2008. ‘Discourses of Anti-Corruption in Mexico. Culture of Corruption or Corruption of Culture?’, PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, 5(1), http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/portal/article/view/479</ref> narrates, the public official can also play upon the possibility that the applicant’s documents may ‘get lost’ or the procedure could be ‘delayed’; it is not uncommon to ask for a ‘tip’ after the paperwork has been submitted, ‘ahí lo que quiera dar para la cooperación del juez’ (‘whatever you would like to give for the judge’s cooperation’). The overall effect of these patterns is to create a sense of unpredictability when citizens engage with state officials. Not surprisingly, in some cases, citizens resort to a ''mordida'' as a preemptive action just to avoid time-consuming procedures. | ||
[[File:mordida 2.jpg|400px|thumb| | [[File:mordida 2.jpg|400px|thumb|left|A possible traffic incident involving a mordida]] Besides being linked to excessive and costly bureaucratic procedures, the ''mordida'' can also take the form of an outright coercive act. Perhaps the most common example of this involves law enforcement officers threatening severe consequences from (sometimes even minor) traffic violations or other misdemeanors. The ''mordida'' is, then, often offered out of fear of the consequences that would befall the individual should he or she fail to ‘appease’ the officer. In such cases, the act of bribing arises from the perception that law enforcement officers can and do commit abuses of power with impunity. As LaRose and Maddan<ref>LaRose, A. P., and S. Maddan. 2009. ‘Reforming La Policía: Looking to the Future of Policing in Mexico’, Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, 10 (4): 333–48.</ref> recount, in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 the victors pursued strategies to centralise power, which led to the development of a police force with great autonomy and little oversight. Thus, the commonly held view that the police are a tool of political oppression rather than law enforcement professionals<ref>LaRose, A. P., and S. Maddan. 2009. ‘Reforming La Policía: Looking to the Future of Policing in Mexico’, Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, 10 (4): 333–48.</ref><ref>Alvarado Mendoza, A. and C. S. Forné. 2011. ‘Relaciones de Autoridad Y Abuso Policial En La Ciudad de México’, Revista Mexicana de Sociología, 73 (3): 445–73.</ref> is a factor contributing to the willingness of citizens to settle legal issues informally through a ''mordida'' rather than having to face the criminal justice process. Therefore, as Del Castillo and Guerrero suggest, the bribe is often rationalised by citizens as a means to buy security<ref>Del Castillo, A., and Guerrero, M. A. 2003. ‘Percepciones de La Corrupción En La Cuidad de México¿ Predisposición Al Acto Corrupto?.’ Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, http://presupuestoygastopublico.org/documentos/transparencia/DT_134.pdf</ref>. | ||
There are specific rituals associated with giving a ''mordida'', which most Mexicans are familiar with, and which determine how the process of bribing is negotiated. For instance, the preamble to negotiating the ''mordida'' comes at the point where the public officer has made it clear that the citizen’s ‘situation is serious and it often involves phrases such as ''‘¿no habrá otra manera?''’ (‘Is there no other way?’) or ‘¿cómo nos podemos arreglar?’ (‘How can we reach an arrangement?’). At which point usually an amount is mentioned. | There are specific rituals associated with giving a ''mordida'', which most Mexicans are familiar with, and which determine how the process of bribing is negotiated. For instance, the preamble to negotiating the ''mordida'' comes at the point where the public officer has made it clear that the citizen’s ‘situation is serious and it often involves phrases such as ''‘¿no habrá otra manera?''’ (‘Is there no other way?’) or ‘¿cómo nos podemos arreglar?’ (‘How can we reach an arrangement?’). At which point usually an amount is mentioned. | ||