Orphaned by democracy - Small industry in contemporary Mexico

Small industry in Mexico illustrates how representation can decrease during democratization. Core sociopolitical attributes that affect capacities for collective action and electoral resources distinguish small firms from big business and labor. These attributes make it particularly difficult for small firms to take advantage of increased social pluralism and electoral competition. These insights are applied to Mexico in an examination of the declining capacity of interest associations in a postcorporatist environment, the challenges small firms face in securing representation through integration in social movements and civil society organizations, and the interaction between small industry and political parties in the newly competitive national legislature.