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Which of the following Mexican groups had the most to lose during the neocolonial period?

1) Indigenous communities
2) Spanish colonizers
3) Mexican government
4) Foreign investors

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Indigenous communities had the most to lose during the neocolonial period in Mexico due to continued exploitation of their resources and marginalization in society, despite the nationalistic movements meant to forge a unified Mexican identity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The group that had the most to lose during the neocolonial period in Mexico was indigenous communities. Originally, the Spanish colonizers and later mestizo landowners and wealthy elites engaged in deals with international corporations which exploited Mexico's natural resources.

These deals provided little profit to the majority of the population, and indigenous populations, often the most marginalized and without access to the levers of power or wealth, stood to lose the most in terms of land, resources, and cultural autonomy.

Throughout the history of Mexico, from the European colonization era to the independence movements, and subsequently in the neocolonial period, the indigenous communities frequently found themselves on the negative side of economic and political changes.

Spaniards and creoles at times dominated the political and economic landscape, but it was the indigenous communities that consistently were subject to exploitation and had their ways of life threatened. Despite Mexico's independence from Spain, nationalist movements often did not substantially alter the social hierarchy, leaving indigenous groups disadvantaged.

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