Argentina’s Transformation: 1880-1916, Economy, Society, and Politics
Argentina’s Transformation: 1880-1916
Economy, Society, and Politics
Between 1880 and the First World War, Argentina experienced a period of unparalleled progress. This began with the presidency of Julio Argentino Roca, ushering in what was to be called “Modern Argentina.” The generation of 1880 reflected a pattern of an agrarian, exporting, liberal, and positivist country. This rapid growth was a result of Argentina entering the market internationally as a producer of raw materials, particularly linked to trade with England. An avalanche of immigrants, seeking a better life in America, gradually integrated into all social classes. Most merged with the lower strata of society, forming the nascent industrial proletariat. Others, inclined towards farming, eventually settled the “Pampa Gringa,” while a minority of wealthy immigrants integrated into a newly minted oligarchy, less elitist than the traditional one, influencing future political developments.
The incorporation process of a sector of social workers, a product of the incipient industrialization, made their demands heard. This “social question,” along with the impact of ideas brought by immigrants, was reflected in newspapers (some with socialist and anarchist leanings) and attempts at organization, whose bases were still too weak to move the structure of the government.
However, the conservative regime prevented democratic participation, driving a wedge between society and the system of politics. Finally, the conflict between the ruling party and the opposition culminated with the Law of Universal Suffrage in 1912.
This stage was very important in the history of Argentina and the initiator of all that came after. It is worth pausing to analyze the most outstanding points. This work aims to provide a summary of this stage, separating it into three large groups: the social, the economic, and the political.
Development
1. Economy
The Model of Agricultural Export
The purpose was to ensure legality and progress. From 1880, a model of economic development was imposed, based on exports of increasing production from the temperate grasslands of the Pampa region. There was a transformation of Argentine society, with a political focus on organizing an oligarchic regime.
The economy was organized to complement the European industrial economy, particularly that of England. This was part of the rise of the capitalist world economy, leading to changes in the organization of production, society, and politics. The most important productive sector was agriculture and livestock. Meat was the dynamic factor of development, while railroads and refrigeration were the engines of economic growth.
Features:
- Economic dependence on the external market: European industrial centers were able to influence the organization of production in Argentina.
- The estates as the agricultural production unit: Almost all production for export was obtained from large estates in the Pampa region.
- State intervention played a vital role in the model’s functioning. Key aspects included ensuring the free movement of goods and capital, promoting the expansion of the transport network and other infrastructure, facilitating the use of new land, encouraging immigration for foreign labor, and organizing a system of monetary law.
- Participation of foreign capital: Investments facilitated the transportation and marketing of products in the Argentine market.
- Immigration from abroad: Between 1857 and 1914, there was a net immigration of 3,300,000 people, primarily settling in the Pampa region, though only about 800,000 in rural areas.
- Regional imbalance: Regions outside the Pampa area, whose products were not intended for the international market, became dependent on the Pampa economy. This was the case with sugar production in Tucuman and wine production in Mendoza, which supplied the domestic market.
- Landowners and exporters formed a group of agrarian capitalists, often in association with foreign capitalists.
Agricultural Production:
In 1874, Argentina imported wheat. By 1880, agricultural colonies fully supplied the domestic market, and by the end of the century, there was a surplus of wheat. The expansion of grain production began with the expansion of the frontier and the advance of the railroad, making more land available for cultivation. Labor was provided by arriving immigrants. The government took measures to encourage the development of agriculture. In 1890, techniques were introduced to improve it. Companies involved in the cereal trade tended towards concentration, forming monopolies. Expansion continued after 1890, despite a period when international prices for agricultural products tended to fall. The volume of exports increased, offsetting the downward trend in prices.
Crisis of 1890:
Causes included the fall in prices of export commodities, external debt, continuous emissions of paper currency, and the loss of value of the currency. Historian José Panettieri stated that the country was buying more than it sold and could afford, selling cheap and buying dear. The crisis affected economic growth and consumption. Many shops and businesses went bankrupt. Major strike movements began due to increased unemployment. The banking system went bankrupt, and shares on the stock exchange plummeted.
The Introduction of Technical and Agricultural Machinery:
New technology for exports, due to manpower shortages at the end of the century, advanced the modernization of agricultural work.
Livestock Drives Agriculture:
The export of cattle to Britain, starting in 1895, had important effects on agricultural production. In Buenos Aires, a combined cropping system began to spread. Landowners used a leasing system, putting virgin land into production through tenants.
The Agrarian Question:
There was a shortage of land for farming, and landlords increased prices. Tenants faced difficulties in keeping up with and fulfilling their contracts. This led to a crisis for both tenants and merchants. In 1912, tenants went on strike, making demands. Landowners asked the government to resolve the situation, but conciliation failed.
Changes in Farming:
By mid-century, cattle production suffered a decline in demand, and producers invested less in breeding.
Cattle Production for the International Market:
In 1895, exports to England began. In the early years of the 20th century, chilled meat replaced frozen meat, leading to an increased volume of meat exports. Improvements in refrigeration reduced spoilage during shipping. Demand increased, leading to improvements in animal quality. This resulted in clashes between livestock producers and industrializing companies over the price of livestock.
Transformation of Industrial Production:
The expansion of agricultural exports strongly impacted the country’s industrial production. It made possible the installation of the first modern manufacturing facilities but also led to the decline of craft industries in regions outside the Pampa area.
Agricultural Expansion and New Industries:
Industries were established to process raw materials for export. Industries also developed to produce inputs required for agricultural production or systems of transport. The large agro-export expansion led to an overall increase in the income of the population, resulting in increased demand for various goods, both durable and non-durable.
2. Society
The Popular Sectors and the Traditional Elite
Foreign Immigration:
In the last decades of the 19th century, there were significant changes in Argentine society. The population grew due to immigrants from Europe seeking to improve their living conditions. The foreign-born population increased from 12.1% in 1869 to 30.3% in 1914.
The Location of Immigrants: Barriers to Land Access
Between 1870 and 1929, 6 million immigrants arrived, with 3 million settling permanently. Agricultural production was thriving, but immigrants found it difficult to become landowners in rural areas because the best land was already occupied. They arrived with limited capital. Demand for agricultural labor was seasonal. Unlike earlier settlers who became owners of agricultural colonies, post-1880 immigrants faced greater challenges.
Buenos Aires and Rosario offered better opportunities for immigrants. They could find work in industrial workshops in Buenos Aires by the end of the century. However, many were left unemployed or lacked the necessary skills, leading to an increase in poverty and unsanitary living conditions. The urban population exceeded the rural population, not due to industrialization but because of the development of commerce for export and immigration. Generally, immigrants settled in the Littoral provinces, especially Buenos Aires, with 80% being from Spain and Italy.
Urban Poor:
In the capital, most families held economic and political power. This elite owned the best land and was enriched by the booming agricultural exports. Additionally, a segment of professionals, administrative staff, and workers in services such as trade, education, and transport, whose growth was also linked to the export business, formed the middle class in cities. Their chances of economic improvement and social progress were tied to the success of the agricultural export model. Towards the end of the century, a mass of workers grew, employed in sweatshops, manufacturing, and construction unions. Workers also emerged in new economic activities and industries related to the expansion of agricultural exports. The working class in Argentina was largely composed of immigrants who could not find work in the countryside. Immigrants with some resources or a trade formed the middle class. Children of immigrant workers often moved up through a career or a position in public administration. There was a degree of closeness between these two sectors. A fringe of society comprised the urban poor.
The Tenement:
Tenements were cheap housing where many immigrants lived. They became a business for traders who bought and sold these properties. There was an increase in these “hostels,” which eventually moved away from the city center to more remote areas.
Law 1420:
The children of immigrants were able to improve their situation through education. Primary education became a key to social advancement. In 1884, Law 1420 was enacted, establishing secular, free, and compulsory education, supported by the liberal opposition.
The Traditional Elite:
Around 400 families formed the traditional elite. They saw themselves as distinct from other social groups and as representatives of the nation. In 1880, economic expansion broadened the elite, incorporating new figures from export trade, finance, and banking.
3. Politics
The Organization of the Oligarchic Regime
Restricted Democracy:
After 1880, an oligarchic political regime was established. The oligarchy was the ruling class. Democracy was restricted and did not include broader society.
The ideological foundation of the oligarchic regime was order and progress, based on positivism.
The Operation of the Oligarchic System of Government:
Control of Access to Government and Administration Positions:
The ruling class chose individuals deemed most suitable for these positions. The president essentially chose his successor.
Electoral Fraud:
After 1880, the ruling class maintained the rules of political democracy, but suffrage was neither voluntary nor secret. Opposition could even lead to death. Practices such as collective voting (large groups voting for the same party), repeat voting, vote-buying, and adding names of the deceased to the rolls were common. Voter registration was manipulated to favor the government.
The Unicato:
From 1880 onwards, the process of concentrating political power around the ruling party intensified. The president sought to remove governors who were not loyal. This high concentration of power in the presidency was known as the “Unicato.” After Celman’s presidency in 1890, although Roca assumed leadership of the PAN (National Autonomist Party), subsequent presidents continued to centralize authority.
The Consolidation of the Oligarchic Regime:
Liberal Conservatives:
The ruling class was both liberal and conservative. They proposed laws and implemented projects based on liberal ideas.
The progress of secularization in government policies led to clashes with the Catholic Church and its supporters.
However, the ruling class maintained restrictions on citizens’ political rights. The system of government imposed by the oligarchy was conservative because it closed off political participation to large sectors of the population, believing that universal suffrage would lead to the triumph of ignorance.
The Generation of 1880:
This was a group of men responsible for the direction of economic, political, and cultural life between 1880 and 1890. They formed a cohesive group, sharing a set of principles and fundamental ideas that became targets for government action. They were characterized by their focus on organizing the economy and society. Two key aspects were:
- Political: Legalizing power and establishing lasting peace.
- Economic: Building on the political foundation, promoting the development of material resources through free exchange, attracting immigrants and foreign capital, integrating markets, and producing in arable areas.
They focused on expanding and improving agricultural production and its integration into the national market. They intensified existing political lines, promoting immigration, new railway lines, and investments of foreign capital.
Positivism: The Guarantee of Progress:
Positivism in Argentina was inspired by Darwinism. It offered answers to problems arising from what was perceived as the irruption of the masses into Argentine history. The concept of the crowd was associated with a force lacking in intelligence and reason. This was a common theme throughout Latin America, where science became the dominant form of knowledge, and progress was used to explain social inequalities. This led to the idea of “Government by the Apt,” with the wealthy and large landowners considered the most suitable for rule.
Consequences of Policies During the Economic Crisis of 1890:
The oligarchic system relied on the political passivity of the people and continued economic expansion. Problems affecting income levels put the government’s stability into crisis and encouraged the organization of political opposition on new foundations. The Civic Union was formed by those excluded from government, including university youth and the sons of merchants and landowners. In 1885, inflation benefited the export sector, including landowners, settlers, traders, and carriers, but it negatively impacted those with fixed incomes. Strikes occurred between 1887 and 1889. The political opposition gained confidence and initiated a revolution with the aim of overthrowing the government.
The Revolution of 1890:
The acute economic crisis affecting Argentina (previously mentioned in the Economy section) exacerbated latent political conflicts. The Civic Union, in opposition, gained popular support. The government’s situation worsened as some groups within the National Autonomist Party withdrew, feeling that power had fallen into the hands of irresponsible individuals. President Celman was in power. Both the Civic Union and the PAN understood that inflation favored agricultural producers but created negative conditions for foreign capital investment, which was necessary for rural development. However, they disagreed on the objectives of the movement against the government. Significant clashes occurred, and on July 26, 1890, dissenting political groups within the Civic Union staged the Revolution of the Park, resulting in approximately 250 deaths and 1,000 injuries. This led to the resignation of Juárez Celman, with his vice president, Pellegrini, assuming power with the goal of restoring the power of the ruling class. His term lasted until 1895.
The Crisis of the Oligarchic Regime:
After the 90 economic welfare. Plano policy had not changed. Rock and Miter to define inheritance = personalism. Political parties. Between 1890 and the 1st World War the ruling group did not find a suitable political solution to the economic and social transformations. 1912, new electoral system, the conservative oligarchy, found that adherence was retail.
The new political opposition: the Radical Civic Union
1890: the Civic Union was founded as a new political organization. In 1892 for some differences: split into two opposing lines: National Civic Union Radical Civic Union.
The first proposed a settlement with the government. The second was directed to the intransigence.
Inside UCR discussed two trends: obstencionista – not participate in elections, and otherwise, the concurrence. 1891 to 94 victories. 1893, revolutionary movements. Clashes between militants, until 1904, and imposed Yrigoyen assumed line of restraint and the revolutionary challenge.
Rev. Radical, not triumph. He warned the risks of keeping for a longer time restricting the political system and social opposition to join the political opposition. Political participation of excluded sectors. A bit scary.
The UCR: the first modern political party:
Institutional structure of political parties = U.S. electoral candidates were elected by delegates at the party = allowed the incorporation of political activity to a segment of the population hitherto couldnot attend. For many years the positions of leadership of the UCR was occupied by people whose origins were from oligarchic families. Then, in their opposition, they built a party organization more open than adversaries. Earned the support of many people.
Doctrine and ideology was a moralistic attack on the oligarchy and the demand for representative government. 1905 on, did not change in the organization of the country. This fact was ignored by the reformers of 1912.
The political organization of popular sectors:
Residents did not participate in political life after 1890 appeared many organizations and associations made by the worker and popular sectors of the population in major urban centers.
The association of immigrants:
These partnerships have multiplied in the late nineteenth century, gathered foreigners of the same nationality, defined as mutual aid, and aimed to provide assistance to immigrants. And he had as a function existing maintain customs and traditions of the country of origin (dialects, folk dancing, etc.). These organizations functioned as spaces of negotiation politics. They adhered to political parties like the PS in the federal capital, and the Southern League in Santa Fe
Workers’ organizations and the founding of the Socialist Party
The work of labor failed, until in 1901 formed the Federación Obrera Regional Argentina and founded the General Union of Workers. In 1896, on the basis of various labor organizations of the Federal capital and the interior, just found the Socialist Party. Defender of the interests of the workers, according to theprinciples fundamental Marxist doctrine. Therefore, faced with the UCR. This and the oligarchy wanted to go and lacked the capacity to meet the economic and social problems.
Anarchism, socialism and trade unionism in the origins of the movement Argentine labor
PS, considered as a party worker. Economy: supporting the agricultural export model, but wanted to change the distribution of wealth. Politics: worker demands obtained.
Socialism: support for older workers or specialist, but did not achieve the massive support of unions, new labor organizations that have proliferated in the early twentieth century, composed of numerous foreign workers.
Anarchism: PS They were confronted by claiming that gradual reforms were a betrayal of the interests of the working class. Proposed direct action and revolution for immediate improvements and benefits / as. Major move.
Unionism: concentrated its efforts on achieving specific economic goals. They proposed more effective use of a weapon of strike accentuating the need for coordination, planning and timing, and Socialist deputies demanded a greater commitment to the workers. Important support. Because these trades were in the export trade, had a power of negotiation that of the anarchists.
The response to the political opposition: a partial opening:
1902. Operating a minority opposition = widen political participation, without compromisingrisk to the maintenance of the system of oligarchic rule. Law, represented advantages over the previous electoral system. Was made by the constituencies. Amendment was to divide each of them in so many regions, as Members of choice. Some men were elected from the opposition.
The social response to the opposition: legislative reform and repression:
Peak of 1910 workers’ strike. Government repression. Solutions stockings. So Rock proposes reform law work. Best law. Since 1904, he was accepted. But the strike continued.
Saenz Pena Law: towards democracy enlarged
Made by the UCR. It consisted of secret and compulsory vote and a new system of voting, and the construction of a new electoral roll. Was passed in 1912. Yrigoyen 1916 amounts. First conservative government.
CONCLUSION:
As was seen throughout the report, this time in Argentina was of great change in the political, economic, social and cultural development. Resalat where the incorporation of Argentina to the world market economy, the contribution of European immigration and strengthening the state. No doubt this monumental transformation marked the beginning of modern Argentina.
REFERENCES:
- History: The modern era. The Argentina from 1831 to 1982. Publisher AZ.
- Social Studies-History 8 (Ema Cibotti). Publisher AZ
- History 3 – Editorial Kapeluz.
- Contemporary hitoria of Argentina – Editorial Santillana.
- History – Argentina and the Modern World