Social change: the effects of emigration in the municipio of Mezquitic, Jalisco

Rancherias (farming and ranching communities) in the northern fringes of the state of Jalisco (Mexico) have experienced a decline in their population during the past twenty years. The traditional subsistence economy of farming and ranching was drastically affected during the drought years of 1974 to 1977. This caused large scale anigration and wage labor outside the area to become important, with a great inflow of cash into the rancheria economy. Labor in the fields became non-profitable and the land remained uncultivated, since it was much easier to collect the checks sent from the wage laborers outside the region. Social changes have occurred in traditional family organization and in the culture of the community. Role changes have been necessary to fill the void created by the absent members. This research describes the above situation in four ranches in the municipio of Mezquitic, Jalisco. The four are traditional communities which have been affected differently by the stress of population decline and a changing economy.