The Legacy of Mesoamerica History and Culture of a Native American Civilization, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 9 TRANSNATIONALISM AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF MESOAMERICA 349

Figure 9.1 A Kaqchikel

Mayan farmer from Santa

María de Jesús in his milpa

during harvest. Photograph

provided by the authors.

of the household. When these products are taken to the market, the household is ef-
fectively linked to the broader community, even at the state and international levels.
It is easy to romanticize the self-sufficient Mesoamerican milpa household, grow-
ing and producing most, if not all of its subsistence needs. This economic form, how-
ever, is arduous, and a fine line exists between successful and unsuccessful households.
The work, be it field or household, is both labor- and knowledge-intensive. Having
the optimal number of individuals with the know-how to reproduce their material
needs and generate a surplus beyond subsistence is often difficult to manage. Fur-
thermore, household members need to have intimate knowledge of their fields and
microclimates, all the while anticipating—but hoping against—natural disasters of
draught, hurricanes, and earthquakes that frequently impact the region.
Despite these labor and natural difficulties, the Spanish invasion and colonization
of Mesoamerica, and the ongoing impact of capitalism—especially its research-