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ARGENTINE HISTORY AND PERONS RULE 1. Analyze Peron's political project and the implications it had for the workers and other groups in society. How and why did Peron and Eva Peron become the political leaders of the workers and the poor? How did other social groups react to the emergence of Peronism?
Peron's political project was characterized by its ability to use the popular classes, especially those in the urban working class to gain popular support. It had uncanny ways in doing this and this seems to parallel the present efforts of the government as well as the other previous governments after it. Peronism nationalism symbolized a rather populist form of authoritarianism that was somehow carried over through the years. Peron got the support of the country because of the combination of socially reformist policies. It was a balance of a leftist social change and a traditional kind of elite interest.
In essence Peron was a populist. He knew the working class was the biggest constituency he had so he granted several concessions to the poor and the emerging working class. In fact author David Rock (1987, 257) recounts Peron's speech before the Buenos Aires stock exchange in August 1944 that businessmen should not be afraid of unionism. He mentions then that he wants to organize the workers through the state, so that the state will show them the way forward. He knew that any radical currents that may endanger capitalist society in the postwar can be neutralized.
This was the major key in the advancement of the neoliberalism in the 1990 s. Peron paid exclusive attention to the workers and to the trade unions. He knew the psychology of the workers and even increase benefits to workers through trade unions. At first the trade union workers were hesitant to work with Peron because they thought that he just wanted to manipulate them. Peron had a different agenda for each group of society. To the military, Peron presented his labor policies as anti-communist so that the working class would see him as his ally.
The anti-Peronist's did not approve of the powers given to the workers. Moreover, democratic opposition parties did not like Peron at all since it was a military regime and it was identified with fascism. 2. Compare Peronism's nationalism with that of previous governments and political forces in Argentine history. Highlight differences and similarities.
Peronism had an organized community which was based on social justice, economic independence and political autonomy. These were the elements of the Peronist Movement. The idea was to represent the nations interest so that it will be more than a liberal party. It had three branches composed of the Peronist Party, the CGT which was an organization of all trade unions from all sectors, and the Rama Femenina which was Evita who was for the workers and the poor.
Peron also established a strong relationship with different sectors such as the employers, students, armed forces and the church, although he was unsuccessful in the last two groups. Peronism's official name, Justicialismo, had to do with the social, political justice and the essence of Peronism. Author Alberto Romero of the book A History of Argentina in the Twentieth Century claims early on that his aim is to avoid a schematic view but rather a large-scale narrative. Romero deals on the modern history of Argentina where one is able to glean on the influence of culture and its intellectuals in the overall progress of the nation. He expounds on the different structural factors that spurs the history of Argentina such as Argentinas strong alliance with the international markers, emergence of a state that lorded over many of its civic institutions, the development of several sectors of society which had little political culture and the preference for leaders who were loved by the masses. Argentina faced the daunting task of rebuilding democracy, tracing its status today from the rule of Juan and Eva Peron until the more recent period of military dictatorship and democracy. (Romero, 2002).
Indeed, Peronism's nationalism was characterized by its ability to use the popular classes, especially those in the urban working class to gain popular support. It had uncanny ways in doing this and this seems to parallel the present efforts of the government as well as the other previous governments after it. Peronism nationalism symbolized a rather populist form of authoritarianism that was somehow carried over through the years. In fact, Argentina recently was faced with a possible unconstitutional third term reelection of Carlos Money. Even if the move was averted, the mere fact that the possibility was progressing toward fruition symbolizes a government style that utilized legalities for its own self-interests. It was the church that triggered the break with Peronism.
Peron was not successful with the church. This was one of the last institutions that Peron failed to conquer and dictate on. It was natural therefore, that Peron's enemies would seek the Church's approval in their fight against Peron. This was in consonance with the Church's sentiments too because they did not like that Peron exalted himself like a god, and in the words of the church leaders then was deifying himself as an apostle of Justicialismo, a one-term word for doctrine of Peronism.
Thus, in his own vindictive ways, Peron acted on legalizing divorce and prostitution and withdrew it support of private church schools. Peron fought his enemies head-on. Because of the corrupt kind of democracy in Argentina, there arose a lukewarm preference for democracy. However, there had been factors recently that are slowly paving the way for a new democracy.
For one, the bloody military regime of the late seventies and early eighties has given rise to despise for authoritarian ways. Another factor was Alfonsins moral valor in times of political turmoil. Even if his reign characterized economic failure, there was integrity seen by the popular masses. People saw this as a sincere effort at changing things.
Also, Argentina is credited to having three uninterrupted terms of democratic governments. This foretells well of a more appropriate change in political culture. People were optimistic. Democracy has surely become real to most of them and a normal state of affairs.
However, Meets style of government leaves much to be desired since it falls short of the real democratic quality of governance. Meanwhile, Peronism nationalism had little continuity with the past. Peron made the working class a part of the political life. This was viewed as a way of controlling the working class political demands. Today, the challenge for Argentina is to maintain a democratic party where the interest of the elites is strongly taken into consideration. Democratic ideals also need to be emphasized more sincerely.
WORKS CITED Rock, David. Argentina 1516 - 1987 From Spanish colonization to Alfonsin. University of California Press; Nov. 18, 1987. pp 182 - 319. Romero, Alberto. A History of Argentina in the Twentieth Century Pennsylvania State University Press (March 2002).
p. 1 - 130.
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