Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The rise and fall(?) of economic nationalism?
Share your thoughts (with some textual substance please....ahem....) about the sources of economic nationalism in Argentina. What global factors influence Argentina to become more nationalistic in its economic policies. To what extent were these policies sustainable once the Depression struck the global market?
Finally, why did Argentina turn to a military dictatorship when the US and Canada didn't?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
According to the article, it was the recent "immigrants with entrepreneurial spirit" who urged for economic nationalism. Perhaps coming from Europe themselves, they felt a need to detatch from their homes. So their response was to discourage foreign relationships with the place similar to where they came from. They came to Argentina with "entrepreneurial spirit" for a new start and new opportunities, so they may have felt the need to close off foreign ties because of this. Also, the article talks about how Argentina's economy is very diverse in both their exports and their imports. Maybe in a way to control this diversity, they felt the need to nationalize their economy and create some kind of standard in place of excessive diversity.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly it seems to me that the government succeeded keep economic nationalism as intact as possible during the Depression. although the depression hit hard, the government established boards to lobby for protectionist policies for agriculture such (tariffs).
I am not sure why Argentina turned into a military dictatorship. Maybe it was because of the political reputation of the country. As a more democratic country it is less likely for US and even Canada to end up in a dictatorship in comparison to a country like Argentina who has history of many military coups and corrupt governments.
The recent immigrants with entrepreneurial spirit that were arriving in Argentina by the hordes seemed to have pushed for economic nationalism in an attempt to topple the economic the system that thrived off foreign investment. This was probably because that economic system was not as conducive to success as one where this rising entrepreneurial class reigned on top. Another reason may be the power of nationalism in crafting a national identity. Controlling major industries may be a great way to counterbalance the flood of foreigners settling in Argentina. In times of crisis, people turn to things that they are familiar and comfortable with. Argentina to turned to the dictatorship that had ruled them for a hundred years, while America and Canada would naturally turn to what they were accustomed to, a one term president.
ReplyDeleteAs for global influence on Argentina. The economy saw drastic changes due to immigration mainly from European countries to Argentina. These immigrants also brought there entrepreneurial spirit along with them; they began implementing new social and business ideas that rocked the economy in Argentina. "...That brought with it social changes that threatened the traditional landowning creole elites."
ReplyDeleteAnother key to Argentina's economy was its diversity. Unlike its Neighbor Brazil Argentina did not rely on a sole export crop. Argentina had several "back-ups" that helped to ensure a sense of confidence and stability.
The polices that where already in play during the time the Great Depression hit Argentina proved to be abysmal even at their fulcrum. Almost every policies imploded and only caused more problems. In 1933 when the economy was at its absolute worst, the government responded by developing new polices... by not synthesizing anything original at all. Instead they opted for bolstering and invigorating than generating or inventing.
In hindsight Argentina and other Latin-American countries developed militaristic solutions to the depression such as regimes in order to sever dependence on western and/or industrialized economies and return to their better sorted roots of an agriculturally based economy. "...a number of countries recovered relatively quickly from economic distress, it was under newly-established military dictatorships or popular regimes that the economies were directed and controlled."
By 1880 in Argentina, the diversification and modernization of many industries threatened the creole elites who lived their. Immigrants began to set up many businesses, which ultimately urged the government to “pursue economic nationalism”. With Argentina being very susceptible to the British economy/policies, the Depression stimulated interest in extractive industries which would greatly decrease their dependence on the British market.
ReplyDeleteDuring the Depression, many immigrant workers were expelled in order to secure benefits and increase power of the urban workers. Economic nationalism was very well sustained once the Depression struck. Policies were set forth to increase livestock/agriculture and tariffs were issued, which contributed to economic nationalism. However, the Roca-Runciman Pact resulted in the death of private owned bus companies in Buenos Aires, which kind of temporarily decreased Argentina’s economic nationalism. This was necessary to bring Argentina out of the Depression, which it did quickly.
I think Argentina turned to a military dictatorship because of its seemingly continuous flip-flop between liberal and conservative rule. The “Concordancia”, created under president Justo, was a mix between anti-Yyigoyen Radicals, PAN conservatives, and Socialists...it seems somewhat unpromising; the military easily gained power and created a stable environment.
Immigrants definitely played a large role in the economic nationalism of Argentina. The text says, "These were the people [immigrants] who challenged the economic system, based on foreign investment, urging the government to purse economic nationalism". This shows that immagrants were an important part of the economy. Also, Argentina had a more diverse economy than other countries. Argentina increased the number of urban workers, which meant more productivity. I think the markets were somewhat sustainable, or at least they were not severely dammaged. This was more of an economic stumble, rather than a fall.
ReplyDeleteWWI did help stimulate industrial growth, but after the war, the depression occurred. I think Argentina turned to a military dictatorship because the people wanted to be out of the depression as soon as possible, and maybe they wanted to try a new way of government that would not let them down. Also, militaries tend to have more relations and connections with other countries. Maybe military dictatorship was a way to nationalize further and become more powerful.
a global factor that could have affected influenced Argentina to be nationalistic could have simply been the economy around the world. the more connected a country is to other countries through things like importing and exporting the more likely they are to go down with the countries they are trading with. It mentions in the text that argentina did a good job of remaining nationalistic when it came to oil and this would have been helpful because that means there would be jobs for people within argentina in the oil industry and it means that they would not have to rely on the prices of other countries and can sustain their own economy. It was, however, difficult to sustain the nationalist economy when the depression hit, the text says that Argentina ended up clinging to their relationship with the UK in order to stay afloat which produced the Roca-Runciman Act. I don't understand why the turned toward a more military based government perhaps military leaders were simply at the right place at the right time and used it to gain power, or perhaps its because they were the farthest thing from the radicals whom everyone was blaming for the depression.
ReplyDeleteArgentina's spot on the world stage pre-WWI was incredibly small. Once they became a bigger agricultural power more immigrants came hoping to repeat the success of others that had come before them. This wave of immigration allowed for the country to industrialize. When the depression hit the country was too in between the two and that caused it to really get hit by the Depression. I think the reason that Argentina became a dictatorship was because it's government was overthrown violently each time there was an election. That does not encourage a good democratic process.
ReplyDeleteI am unsure as to why Argentina became a military controlled nation but maybe it is because it difficult times, the strong tend to prevail. The people don't know what is good or what is bad for them and these figures take over in such confusion. Maybe the people wanted a strong force to lead them, also.
ReplyDeleteThe situation around the world was also a factor in this. Large economies like the US and the UK were too suffering, and at this time Argentina was also in this category of economic powers.
Also, the immigration in and around Buenos Aires changed the mindset of the country. Their culture became much more like Europe than the previous agricultural base of their economy.
i think that many of the immigrants that came to Argentina were going there to sieze the opportunity of the new rising economy. In the text it talks about how diverse the Argentine economy is; how it doesn't only relie on one source of income, that it has multiple source of income and those sources were necessities throughout the world (food, cars. etc.) i also think that the spirt and dirve that these immigrants brought helped drive the economy forward. Many of the places these people were coming from were failing or had already failed and were in ruin, so when they got to Argentina they saw what growth and prosperity could be achieved through hardwork and i think they brought that mindset and acted upon that.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest factor that led Argentina to become more nationalistic in its economic policies was the energy business. the text spoke alot about how Argentina was a fast growing and industrializing country that consumed alot of fuel. this helped create the YPF and helped keep other fuel companies competitive. I also think that as these countries started to get hit by the great depression, Argentina had to change in order to keep the fuel in the country because the YPF could not supply the entire country.
I think that Argentina went to a military dictatorship because they were not familiar with the idea of a peaceful change of leaders (as hard as it is to imagine not wanting peace). i think that they wanted a person who would take the bull by the horns and get them out of the situation they were in. I also believe that many thought that the democratic government had put them in a position to fall into the great depression and they were done experimenting this that idea and went back to what was familiar.
On a global scale, I think a main factor is just the strive to be the best of the best. Everyone wants to be a leader of the world. Right now argintina was up at the too but still not the best there was. I think that's what gave them the strongest sence of nationalism. I think this also goes with the question why did they turn into a military dictatorship. They wanted to be a leader in the economy but more importantly a leader in the world. What's a good was to do that? Develope a strong military.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of nationalism of Argentina,multiple factors could be counted.The primary reason is the idea that is called protectionist policy during the depression, as it says in the article, the major income came from meat and wheat, since the depression occurred, Argentina lost its market in Europe and north america, there are necessities to boost domestic needs and new emerging industry such as extractive indurtries. Also the feeling that requires Argentina to get rid of dependency of oversea gas supply enhanced the nationalism. The nationalism during the depression was trully such a good way to adjust the domestic economy i sense. The military dictatorship seems unclear to me, it may have some thing to do with support from PAN and few popularity on Radical parties side?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Doulye. Argentina was very used to a dictatorship and that's what the people were comfortable with. Putting all your trust into one man rather than a system, is often an easier thing to deal with as a people. As of why they became a military dictatorship, I believe leading through fear if often one of the best tactics.
ReplyDeleteThe new immigrants with entrepreneurial spirit were a big factor in the change to economic Nationalism. During the Great Depression, the people felt safe under a dictator which they had been accustomed to, and only had one leader with a plan, to avoid partisan divide. This allows more to get done politically, and entrepreneurialism to thrive. Basically the safety of a dictatorship turned out to dodge a major economic crisis on the same scale as the American and Canadian Great Depression.
ReplyDeleteThe article talks a lot about immigrants. They were optimistic, they planned to start a whole new life in Argentina, and I think that that optimism gave the people confidence. So Argentina started his very own economic nationalism, an example for this is their oil buissnes.
ReplyDeleteRegarding to the military dictatorship I agree with Robert: People were confused and frighten what the future with the Depression should bring them. Blaming Yrigoyen, their ex hero, wouldn't help them out of the trouble. When then General Uriburu came, I guess he seemed almost like a savior to the people.