Mexico

Mexico is a mixture of several different groups, as a result of their diverse history with an emphasis on the mixing of Indigenous and Spanish people. The colonial regime that once overtook Mexico sought to maintain a caste-like society, which was not sustainable, and ended in racial subtypes emerging: Indigenous, mestizo (of mixed European and Indigenous heritage), and Spanish. Even though it ended, the remnants of a caste-like society continued for a while longer, which uncovered the difficulty to categorize the people of Mexico by race. One may be Indigenous in a mestizo's eyes, but classified as a mestizo in Indigenous eyes. This shows that there can be differences between how people see themselves, and how they are seen by the government or by census-takers. Even after extensive research, it is incredibly difficult to generalize the diversity of Mexico. For example, Central Mexican communities are often considered mostly mestizo, Catholic and bilingual, but these communities also display religious, linguistic and social characteristics of an Indigenous society. The caste-like framework has continued into their society today, as people of European descent mostly dominate the wealthier, urban areas while the majority of the working class is Indigenous. But mestizos make up most of the population, and obtain a range of occupations and economic positions.