Socialism in Argentina
Argentina during WW-I didn't experience the same hardships as other Latin American nations, in part due to their leadership by President Hipólito Yrigoyen.
[5] In 1922 with the rise of The Argentina Right, the works of Marcelino Menendez played a large role in influencing their philosophies and ideas.
After gaining presidency, Uriburu made efforts to institute reform through incorporating corporatism to the Argentina Constitution, which was seen as a move towards fascism.
Perón's ideology and policies represented what Federico Finchelstein considered "the synthesis of nationalism and non-Marxist Christian socialism".
[13] Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara considered Peronism "a kind of indigenous Latin American socialism with which the Cuban Revolution could side".
"[15] Perón created a planned and heavily regulated economy, with "a massive public sector of nationalized industries and social services" that was "redistributive in nature" and prioritized workers' benefits and the empowerment of trade unions.
[16] He implemented far-reaching social policies that benefitted the Argentine working class, such as a broad public health and education systems and institutionalization of rights of the workers and peasants.
[17] Peronism greatly empowered trade unions and integrated them into state power, which along with the nationalization of numerous industries and price controls on rents, energy, public services and food items allowed Argentina workers to "have the highest standard of living of their class worldwide.
Perón also shortened the working day, enforced pain annual holidays and Sunday rest laws, implemented pension schemes and layoff protections, as well as accident compensation, and state-enforced conciliation and arbitration procedures that greatly favoured the trade unions and disadvantaged the employers.
Donald C. Hodges wrote that Peronism represented a "socialism of the non-Marxist variety" and sought to move away from the prevalence of the capitalist relations of production.
The anti communist sentiments of the Cold War had vast implications on Socialism in Argentina in the form of Operation Condor.
The initiative was employed to target those who were proponents of socialist or marxist thought, and with Argentina's history with the ideology this saw the number of missing or killed people total 30 000.
[20] In this way, many people were branded with the title ‘socialist’, and even vague evidence could see the victims' ‘disappearance.’[21] Particularly the politically active were targeted, students, writers and Peronist guerillas.
The modern developments in the forms of trials and declassification of documents have brought to the forefront the movement for Socialism in Argentina and its correspondent retaliations.
In many ways, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara has popularised the worlds understanding of Argentina socialist thought, through his memoirs and the later produced film, The Motorcycle Diaries.
In many ways, Guevara has become a figure head for social movements in Argentina, and more broadly around the world, spreading his beliefs in a more equal political system.
The movement started as a desire for greater ‘social focus’ but has since grown to embody a more extensive set of methods and practise.
On the contrary, the antithesis to this movement, Operation Condor instituted a rigorous regime which juxtaposed that political environment with a reinforced brand of neoliberalism.
