Reflection Post #1: Urbanization of Puerto Rico

In discussion we talked about how the monocapitalist movement, specifically regarding sugar plantations, in Puerto Rico led to an abundance of rural workers.  As a result, workers migrated to urban cities like San Juan and eventually to the U.S. mainland.  I attended Sam Quiñones presentation on Wednesday and found that our readings of the urbanization of Puerto Rico parallel the urbanization in Mexico that is happening today.

Sam Quiñones stressed that in Mexico there are the same two cases of migration.  The first is the migration of workers to Mexico City.  In this case men and women from rural villages within a close proximity migrate to the city to become construction workers of for the women, maids.  While these workers make more money than back home, they never make enough to improve their economic status.  The second case is that of workers who immigrate to the U.S.  While the migration pattern of Mexicans to the U.S. is not quite as circular as that of Puerto Ricans, Quiñones points out that many immigrants do eventually return to their homes in Mexico.  When they do, neighbors and family members become inspired to immigrate to the U.S., thus continuing the cycle.