Death By Culture

A deep rooted connection between the disposability in Mexican culture of women and a similar attitude toward women workers of the Maquiladoras, is the foundation for understanding the subordination of Maquiladora women in all aspects of the “system.” The system, therefore, comprised of cultural Machismo which allows male jealousy and mistreatment to be rather freely enacted upon its women of perceived lesser value. Machismo is exemplified in the public justification that “men will be men” for the Juarez killings, as well as the blanket “untrainability” of women workers.

Death by culture, as coined by Uma Narayan, is portrayed in the complete lack of cultural regard for the safety and thriving of, in this instance, its women. A culture that has essentially already cast particular women aside as expendable from birth

The responsibility of the foreign nations in the situation of death of Maquila women by Mexican culture is the advantageous position a foreign company receives when employing a consistently replaceable workforce. Turnover keeps training costs low, wages even lower, and compensation for workers at a minimum. “Foreign capital has taken advantage of Mexican patriarchy to exploit women.”

Therefore, are American Multinational Companies which operate factories in Mexican borders, responsible for conditions within these factories which would not be tolerated on United States soil? Does a culture of Machismo and subordination of women justify the treatment of Maquila women?

Does the United States hold any ethical obligation to its Maquila workforce?