The Cooperativism and Agricultural Credit in Baja California, Mexico (1930-1950): A first approach

Abstract

In order to the neoclassic conventional theory the operation of the credit markets face two basic difficulties: the asymmetric or imperfect information and the adverse selection of the borrower come together with the nonpayment risk. On and other side, more heterodox, the collectivism, the social capital and the creation of informal nets and credit societies, use to low down the transaction costs related to the financing problem. This kind of organization makes easier the development of cooperativism in economy. In México, after the Revolution and the establishment of an authoritarian political and vertical regimen, the cooperativism became one of the referents of the rural organization in order to get credit of private and public banks. In the northeast of the country and Baja California peninsula, the existence of fishing, cattle raising, farming and transportation cooperatives means a blunt of economical activity and one of the channels of development in the zone. The purpose of this article is to shape what kind of cooperativism was set up in the Northern District of Baja California and what type of relation kept with the national cooperative movement between 1930 and 1950.