Reflection Paper - Bordertown

Bordertown is a film inspired by true stories about women murdered

and suffered under sexual harassments in a town along the border of Mexico
and the United States. It tells a story about a female journalist, Lauren
Adrian, who investigated the incidence of murders in connection with sexual
harassments where women working in night shift are the victims. It also
shows the social, political, and economic effects of NAFTA in an
underdeveloped nation of North America.
The market and the government only benefit from the free
trade agreement (NAFTA)
There were lines at the start of the film that enlighten the audience
about the North American Free Trade Agreement which is in relation with
the scenes to be depicted thereafter. NAFTA is an agreement between North
American regions to implement free trade. This agreement have had stated
their objectives, as posted in the NAFTA website, as the following: a)
eliminate barriers to trade in, and facilitate the cross-border movement of
goods and services between the territories of the Parties; b) promote
conditions of fair competition in the free trade area; c) increase substantially
investment opportunities in the territories of the Parties; d) provide adequate
and effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in
each Party's territory; e) create effective procedures for the implementation
and application of this Agreement, for its joint administration and for the
resolution of disputes; and f) establish a framework for further trilateral,
regional and multilateral cooperation to expand and enhance the benefits of
this Agreement (NAFTA). All of these objectives may have been attained in
Mexico such that many factories were built in Juarez which is in part due to
cheap labor and low tariffs, but the market and the government only benefit
from the free trade agreement. The market enjoys the benefit of paying
cheap labor and the benefit of low tariff which in effect may result into high
marginal rate of returns (revenue) while the government enjoys the benefit
of investment inflows that could affect the countrys income or GDP and
employment. This is a classic manifestation of political economy that is
caused by globalization. The free trade agreement may significantly increase
job opportunities for the host country; however there is higher risk that the
residents as laborers will be abused such that cheap labor meant low wages
and in addition to the rampant employment discrimination based on sex in
the region of North America. Moreover, the market and the government may
have improved the economic situation of the respective countries that
adhere to the free trade agreement but the social implication equity as
primary goal of the government may not be incorporated to the further
economic development which suffers and is critical in achieving the primary
goal.
Wealth inequality

There is a scene in the film wherein the conversation between Lauren

Adrian (Jennifer Lopez) and the mother of Eva, Lourdes Jimenez (Zaide Silvia
Gutierrez) is about taking the land and all of the property of the family of
Lourdes, which took place in their homeland. They could not pay taxes hence
and instead they were told to go to the border and work in the maquiladoras.
While the government should provide equal rights to the distribution of land
and other assets to the residents of the state, there seem to be economic
inequality specifically in possessing wealth that has depicted poor condition
of the people living near industrial establishments which are built in accord
to NAFTA. The government could provide land for private firms but they could
not grant the citizens the right to own a land of their own despite the fact
that they could not pay their taxes right which ought to open for dialogue by
the resident and the government.
Income inequality
In general, the film has depicted harsh working conditions in Juarez
such as the lack in providing security for workers, work for long hours
straight, and women who suffer from employment discrimination hence low
wages. The private firm or the market may have created jobs that may
improve the lives of the workers but the threat of income inequality in
addition to the harsh working conditions may not give better results
especially for women. Government intervention besides establishing work
unions is expected to act on this serious matter. Further, the government has
role to protect its citizens and to do justice with the wages that should be
given to the workers.
The flaw of the government and the lack of intervention in the
affairs of the firm
The film showed the struggle of the society in an effort to sustain, if
not improve, their lives and the welfare of their families. They struggle
against the political and economic inequalities which prevent them from
having better household economic conditions. The lack of protection of the
citizens and government intervention in the affairs of the firm has resulted
into social uprising and news blackouts regarding relevant current issues. It
can be added that the news about the increase in sexual harassment in the
Bordertown film is due to the lack of protection of rights of women and
biased government in the promotion of economic activities in Juarez.
Bordertown is a film which depicted a struggling society against the
harsh conditions brought about by the private firms or market in creating
profit-oriented establishments and that accord to the free trade agreement,
and the political bias to promote economic development. The agreement had
no goal about developing household economic situation of the citizens hence
a disturbance among residents. If the government continues to provide
venues for economic activities without strict implementations of rules, then
the society will be taken advantage by the private firms and it could worsen
the daily lives of the people. But when the government intervenes in the

economic activities and prioritizes the protection of rights of all citizens, then
it creates a sustainable economic environment that even the workers benefit.