Analyze the impact of NAFTA on Mexican corn farmers. Why did so many Mexican corn farmers lose their livelihoods as a consequence of NAFTA?(1 point)

Responses

NAFTA gave subsidies to Mexican corn farmers to increase production, which flooded the market.
NAFTA gave subsidies to Mexican corn farmers to increase production, which flooded the market.

Mexican farmers could not compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn.
Mexican farmers could not compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn.

Manufacturing jobs that processed the corn left Mexico for the U.S. due to lower wages, reducing the need for Mexican-grown corn.
Manufacturing jobs that processed the corn left Mexico for the U.S. due to lower wages, reducing the need for Mexican-grown corn.

Changes in consumer food preferences from corn toward wheat reduced demand.

11 answers

The primary reason many Mexican corn farmers lost their livelihoods after the implementation of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) is due to the inability to compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn. This competitive disadvantage arose because U.S. corn farmers received significant subsidies from their government, which allowed them to sell corn at lower prices in the market. This influx of cheaper corn from the U.S. made it difficult for Mexican farmers to sell their produce profitably, leading to many economic struggles and, ultimately, the displacement of a large number of farmers.

While the other responses touch on broader effects of NAFTA, such as the potential loss of processing jobs and changing consumer preferences, the core issue for corn farmers specifically is their inability to compete with the pricing of subsidized U.S. corn. As these farmers faced declining prices and reduced demand for their corn, many were forced to abandon their farming livelihoods altogether.

Analyze the impact of NAFTA on Mexican corn farmers. Why did so many Mexican corn farmers lose their livelihoods as a consequence of NAFTA?(1 point)
Responses

NAFTA gave subsidies to Mexican corn farmers to increase production, which flooded the market.
NAFTA gave subsidies to Mexican corn farmers to increase production, which flooded the market.

Mexican farmers could not compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn.
Mexican farmers could not compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn.

Manufacturing jobs that processed the corn left Mexico for the U.S. due to lower wages, reducing the need for Mexican-grown corn.
Manufacturing jobs that processed the corn left Mexico for the U.S. due to lower wages, reducing the need for Mexican-grown corn.

Changes in consumer food preferences from corn toward wheat reduced demand.

The primary reason many Mexican corn farmers lost their livelihoods as a consequence of NAFTA is that Mexican farmers could not compete with government-subsidized U.S. corn. Under NAFTA, U.S. corn, bolstered by significant government subsidies, flooded the Mexican market, leading to lower prices for corn. This made it extremely challenging for Mexican corn farmers to sell their products at competitive prices, severely impacting their income and sustainability.

The other options presented are not as directly related to the primary cause of the challenges faced by Mexican corn farmers. While changes in manufacturing jobs and consumer preferences may have had some impact, the essential issue was the overwhelming competition from heavily subsidized U.S. corn, which undermined local agriculture and diminished the livelihoods of many Mexican farmers.

How do quotas protect local producers?(1 point)
Responses

Quotas help organize workers to advocate for increased protections.
Quotas help organize workers to advocate for increased protections.

Quotas increase competition among different countries, which lowers prices of goods.
Quotas increase competition among different countries, which lowers prices of goods.

Quotas limit the goods that can be imported, which ensures less competition for local producers.
Quotas limit the goods that can be imported, which ensures less competition for local producers.

Quotas add a fee to the price of imported goods, so they are less competitive than local products.

The correct response is: Quotas limit the goods that can be imported, which ensures less competition for local producers.

Quotas are trade restrictions that set a physical limit on the quantity of a particular good that can be imported into a country. By doing so, they reduce the supply of foreign products in the market, which helps maintain higher prices for local producers and provides them a better opportunity to compete with foreign imports. This leads to increased protection for local industries from international competition.

Which option best analyzes how exchange becomes more efficient at a national scale?(1 point)
Responses

Urban centers refocus on primary industries, leading to the development of secondary industries that encourage exchange.
Urban centers refocus on primary industries, leading to the development of secondary industries that encourage exchange.

Countries enter into treaties that encourage trade, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Countries enter into treaties that encourage trade, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Quaternary industries develop that benefit existing retail structures in local economies by connecting them to other places around the country.
Quaternary industries develop that benefit existing retail structures in local economies by connecting them to other places around the country.

Places within a country specialize based on comparative advantage, meanwhile better technologies enable exchange.

The option that best analyzes how exchange becomes more efficient at a national scale is: Places within a country specialize based on comparative advantage, meanwhile better technologies enable exchange.

This response highlights two key aspects of economic efficiency: the principle of comparative advantage, which suggests that regions or countries should specialize in producing goods and services that they can produce more efficiently than others, and the role of technology, which enhances the ability to facilitate and lower the costs of exchange. Together, these factors contribute to a more efficient national economy by optimizing resource use and improving trade capabilities.

What type of industries are primarily involved in exchanges between rural mining towns and urban manufacturing centers that use their minerals?(1 point)
Responses

secondary and tertiary industries
secondary and tertiary industries

primary and tertiary industries
primary and tertiary industries

primary and secondary industries
primary and secondary industries

secondary and quaternary industries

The correct response is: primary and secondary industries.

In this context, primary industries refer to those that extract raw materials, such as mining operations found in rural areas, while secondary industries are involved in the processing and manufacturing of those raw materials into finished products, which typically occur in urban manufacturing centers. The exchange between these two types of industries is crucial for the economic relationship between rural mining towns and urban manufacturing centers.

Which of the following analyzes an example of an environmental problem related to agricultural expansion through technology?(1 point)
Responses

Agricultural societies are getting smaller as a result of urbanization.
Agricultural societies are getting smaller as a result of urbanization.

Deforestation is having a major effect on the Amazon rainforest.
Deforestation is having a major effect on the Amazon rainforest.

Bees are becoming more widespread and doing more damage to crops.
Bees are becoming more widespread and doing more damage to crops.

Technology has reduced job opportunities in agriculture.

The response that best analyzes an example of an environmental problem related to agricultural expansion through technology is: Deforestation is having a major effect on the Amazon rainforest.

Agricultural expansion often leads to deforestation, especially in areas like the Amazon rainforest, as land is cleared to make way for large-scale farming operations. This process can result in significant environmental impacts, including loss of biodiversity, disruption of ecosystems, and contributions to climate change, making it a clear example of an environmental problem associated with technological methods in agriculture.