El nacionalismo y el capitalismo de cuates

Según el Wall Street Journal, estas son las dos razones por las cuales la reforma energética que veremos en nuestro país no será significante (si es que algo se logra pasar). Aquí el artículo (suscripción requerida).

Sobre el 'nacionalismo':

... The nationalism side of the equation is well known. In 1938, Mexico changed the history of oil by becoming the first major country to kick out private oil companies, setting up a state-run oil company in their place. At the time, poor Mexicans lined up to donate everything from jewelry to chickens to help the government pay off the foreign companies.

The expropriation of foreign oil holdings, an event highlighted in school textbooks, marked the first time Mexico felt truly independent as a nation...

Sobre el capitalismo de cuates ('crony capitalism'):

... Less understood is the other factor holding back Mexico's energy efforts: the legacy of crony capitalism. Much of Mexico's economy is dominated by family-run companies that have long ruled over their respective industries, squashing competition and charging consumers high prices. They rely on friends in the government to ensure favorable regulation or sweetheart contracts, don't give much back in philanthropy, and have a reputation for evading taxes.

As a result, many Mexicans don't particularly care for private industry or think capitalism is such a great thing. Polls show that Mexicans are almost equally opposed to letting Mexican private capital into the energy industry as they are to foreign private capital.

Me parece que el autor del artículo (David Luhnow), le pega justo al clavo, sobre todo al poner sobre la mesa el tema del 'capitalismo de cuates'. Si me preguntas cual de los dos factores es más relevante (en el sentido de cual de los dos dificulta más la apertura en el sector), creo que el segundo.

¿Que es el 'capitalismo de cuates' (o crony capitalism)? Aquí la respuesta.