Book

Economics and society in Tlacolula, Oaxaca, Mexico

University Microfilms • Ann Arbor • Published In 1979 • Pages:

By: Diskin, Martin.

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the theme of peasant economy in the central valley region of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, with particular emphasis on the town of Tlacolula--one of the largest secondary market towns in the valley market system. The author discusses the meaning and nature of peasant society as a preliminary background to the study and then presents a detailed description of the cyclical market system and its operation in southern Mexico. Peasant markets are examined for their functional roles as centers for the meeting of different social strata and goods and a tripartite scheme proposed involving village, town and city utilized by the author '...to organize the origin and destination of goods as well as to describe the distribution of economic roles and production specialities'. Peasant society, says Diskin in summary, because of its long history of contact with other segments of the society, participates in a number of social arrangements, generally sustained through some form of economic relationship. In the valley of Oaxaca, this relationship provides the rural agriculturists with the opportunity to view a much wider spectrum of society. From the information collected in the town of Tlacolula, there seem to be two distinct models available for social careers, one based on the urban sector of the society and the other on the village. The author notes that peasant life, when viewed within the context of a well-developed market system, shows a very real potential for smoothing the way to social change. The background data contained in the report were obtained from historical documents and supplemented with information obtained by the author, his wife, and several field assistants from direct observations and interviews in which questionnaires were administered orally to informants and their responses recorded. The author and his wife lived in Tlacolula for one year (November 1964-November 1965).

HRAF PubDate

2019

Region

Middle America and the Caribbean

Sub Region

Central Mexico

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; 1980

Field Date

1964-1965

Coverage Date

not specified

Coverage Place

Tlacolula, Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico

Notes

by Martin Diskin

UM67-17368

Includes bibliographical references

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Los Angeles, 1967

LCSH

Zapotec Indians