Maquiladoras, an Extractive Economic System in Mexico

Maquiladoras can be defined as small, sweatshop-like factories that can be found throughout Central America, and especially just over on the southern side of the Rio Grande. Maquiladoras form an intensive, extractive economic system in many of these countries. Workers work long hours for very little pay and are sometimes not even permitted the right to use the bathroom. These factories are highly extractive and resultant of developed countries outsourcing manufacturing jobs to avoid their own country's human rights laws to produce their commodities for the cheapest price possible. The maquiladora system is reminiscent of similar extractive labor systems mentioned by Acemoglu and Robinson (encomiendas, reducciones, mita, etc).

This first video is a bit dry, but explains the system pretty well. If you're feeling adventurous and want to test your Spanish skills, check out the last one!