So, I won't lie. I always struggled with historical and modern imaginings of fascism. If we go by this definition, honestly, what do we NOT consider to be at least slightly fascist, especially when a country is experiencing an economic-related crisis? Why, when the author of "Depression and Recovery in Argentina" seems to be touting slow but steady recovery, is there still a move to introduce fascist policies to the state? Is there another moment in history (it doesn't matter when or where), that you can recall something along these lines happening? Please, share your examples.
Over time, just like every other country, it seems like Argentina was slowly recovering from the depression. Many fascist organizations such as the “Guardia Argentina” and the “Legion Civia” started to come into power to help protect the country. As the country slowly came out of the depression they started to get new banks to help with all of the financing and start to refurbish all of the things in the country that did not work so well under the old government. With the new parties in power their goals were to centralize the power of the government (move away from a dictatorship), try to stabilize political parties, and to reduce the size of the bureaucracy. But still they country had to figure out what type of government they wanted to run their country. Even though the article talked about the people thinking about the idea of a democracy or an oligarchy, the people ended up going with fascism because it seemed to be the best choice for the country in helping them move forward. The only other time period and country that I can think of that kind of when through the same thing was Germany during WWII with Hitler because Hitler was a military dictator (even though he did bad things unlike Argentina), then Germany had to recover their government just like Argentina.
ReplyDeleteIt seemed that after the Depression, Argentina was recovering the economy making up programs like in the Us with the New Deal. However, it seems that the only way that the recovery could happen was with a dicatorship as the government. Therefore that is what was happening in the country with facism. Argentina just needed a new government, stable and "fair".
ReplyDeleteThis situation reminds so much of Spain: from 1936 till 1939 the Civil War happened between republicans and nationalists. Franco was the leader of the nationalist group and they finally ended up but taking all the republican territories and Franco started a dictator ship form 1939 up to 1975 when he died and a democracy started. during the recovery of the war, World War II happened, therefore it was a really harsh time for the population in Spain. No one could say anything against the government because they would die. Franco implanted rationalism because there was so much poverty in Spain for the first time since Franco was not doing much. However, he made some agreements with Hitler and Mussolini even though Spain did not participate in the war directly (because the civil war had just finished). In this way, Franco would let some military basements or arms and stuff and Hitler helped Spain to recovery basically.
Based on the definition of fascism above, almost every country or political party in power is considered as fascism during the time of an economically related crisis. Single party, dictatorship, and centralizing power and controlling private enterprise, are the features of being a stable government during difficult times. If not a dictatorship, I think the country would either be in an chaos or come up with an dictator anytime soon. I feel like fascism, although sounds really bad nowadays (bc of WWII Germany), it is the perfect solution of an economic crisis like the great depression. Argentina's New Deal indeed worked out better than the States' New Deal. Two fascists of groups were called Guardia Argentina and Legion Civica. As the countries get out of the depressions, many people thought fascism was the ideal government which would help the economy move forward. When I see the definition of fascism, I think about 1950-70's China communist party. It was one party dictatorship, violence, the private enterprise was converted into national owned enterprise. I know communism and fascism are not the same but the definition above is just too general and inclusive.
ReplyDeleteAll countries had different ways of coming out of the depression and coping with the it/ its aftermath. Argentina was one country that needed a dictatorship type of rule to get the economy back on its feet and the country stable again. When a country is experiencing economic-related crisis its so easy to move towards a fascist policy because everything needs to be united and follow one simple set of rules and guidelines. If one person is running everything and it has to go one way, then instead of everyone trying to solve their own problems in many different ways, the situations can be handled much more easily and quickly than if everyone had to vote for what they wanted or had to try and please everyone. Some countries took so long in recovery just because no one could decide what to do, so a fascist policy seemed the right fit for Argentina because it was a quick and solid fix that made the entire country headed in one direction. In some ways many of our ideas today our fascist, we all follow the same rules when it comes to currency. its only one use that our government enforces, and we don't decide how much everything costs or how much the government gets. its all decided for us.
ReplyDeleteA Depression forces many countries to change what they are doing. I believe during these times of problems there is some way every country would have a little act of fascism. Fascism for Argentina really helped there government get back up onto there feet. It put them in the right direction and got them out of this depression they were in. Also, there is in some ways fascism in the United States now a days because like paxi said the government does not regulate cost and all sorts of things but it is based on how the economy is and supply and demand.
ReplyDeleteEvery ideology has its bright side. So does Fascism. Existing Fascism organizations in Argentina do not affect the country deeply. I do not think Fascism has played a big role in Argentina's economy nor politics. (Or maybe I did not comprehend the reading well enough.) From my perspective, the reading seems more like a propaganda for the radical party than a historical chronicle. The recovery of Argentina seems so easy and rapid in the reading. Almost too good to be true. Nevertheless, the policies and new deal that are imposed by the government could be deemed as a mere tendency to Fascism economically. For example, the government reorganized the banking system, and makes it more government-controlled. They also permit trade with only certain countries. Their competitor U.S. has to buy draft to get in the free market, which "made their goods cause 20% and 30% more." There is another significant sentiment that I sense while I read this article: patriotism. The article is obviously against U.S, and sometimes U.K. for their owning of railroad in Argentina. This attribute of the recovery era indirectly reflects the Fascism influence in Argentine. One of the greatest example i can find throughout history would be Germany during the second World War, when Hitler takes over with Fascism. Despite the racism, Anti-semitism and other inhumane things that are brought by Fascism, Germany's economy and industrialization are blooming dramatically. This example can be a plausible reason for the application of Fascism in a country.
ReplyDeleteArgentina was steadily recovering, and fascist policies were emerging. Whenever I think of fascism, I automatically think of Mussolini. Using his secret police and followers, he destroyed all of his political opponents and turned Italy into a one-party dictatorship. He was very nationalistic about Italy and believed that there was indeed a hierarchy of races, Italians being on the top.
ReplyDeleteAlthough in today's day we consider the Fascist governments to be incredibly harsh and unneeded during the Depression it was exactly what Argentina needed. In 1933 Argentina was suffering like the rest of the world, with unemployment rates skyrocketing and the deflation of the peso, a lack of exports and a huge amount of imports. However when the Justo administration was in power they really helped the country get on its feet. They made quick decisions and helped move things settle down by introducing a New Deal similar to Roosevelt's. Unlike Canada's version of the New Deal which was almost a complete replica of Roosevelt's this one was adapted to Argentina. It helped create a central bank, controlled grain prices, took responsibility of taxes, created a reliable trading system with Great Britain and helped create domestic policies such as the meat board, the unemployment board, and the dairy board to help regulate and help the economy. Although the Fascist government is looked down upon it really helped Argentina settle down after the Depression. It really took its power and used it to help the people and it worked just fine.
ReplyDeleteBased on the reading, Fascism in Argentina existed, however did not effect the country that much. Leopoldo Lugones, Juan Carulla, Ernesto Palacio, Manuel Gálvez, Carlos Ibarguren, Roberto de Laferrere, Mario Amadeo, Rodolfo Irazusta and Julio Irazusta started to express the idea of Fascism through the journal La Nueva Republica. They gathered together under the name of " ADUNA". Nevertheless, even when these groups expressed the idea of Fascism, they remained their links to the Conservatives politics. Juan Perón, who was somewhat considered as a Fasicst, in 1946 became the ruler of Argentina as well.
ReplyDeleteAs the Argentinian government continued to improve its country's economy it must have been realized that more rigid measures must be taken to completely revive the country from the Great Depression. For example, the central government consolidated power by taking control of internal revenues and dispensing needed funds to the provinces instead of the other way around. The government also enacted massive tariffs which helped domestic industry and ultimately increased the country's exports. This all built huge national pride. So it is clear that Argentina found it necessary to execute certain key parts of fascism to continue economic recovery.
ReplyDeleteThis was also seen in Germany when Hitler gained power amid the failed Wiemar Republic. He was praised around the world for pulling his country out of depression and the hardships of the interwar years with his government programs. Yet he had to take it further and enact more Fascist programs in his mad plan for taking over Europe.
I think that Argentina was struggling a lot with developing a strong government and also struggled with getting out of the depression. They had a really hard time, as any country would while going through the depression. The us and canada also had very hard times dealing with the depression so its just natural for issues to arise. There is never really a "perfect" government system but most believed fascism would work because it was the easiest way out. There were many countries in Europe that had fascist governments.
ReplyDeleteIn Argentina the recovery might have been slow and steady because a part of them did not know which direction to go or move towards. The depression that Argentina went through ultimately changed the views of many during the time, they realized their government needed to change and they started thinking about facism. A set of rules everyone gets to follow seems to be easier than many other governments trying to take over. I definitely agree with Meghan, when I think of facism in history I first think of Hitler because he believed, and along with most people that his form of government was the best, although in the end it wasn't and Germany like Argentina had to recover from it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the author of “Depression and Recovery in Argentina” seems to be implying that there is a slow but steady recovery there is still a move to introduce fascist policies in the state because in a fascist government, there is one ruler who dictates what the people do and say. Argentina, “ thanks to her extremely fertile soil... and favorable climate, she is able to meet competition in the outside world with unusual success.” Argentina is fortunate enough to have a government, “ which has conjured her economic ills with expertness and intelligence.” The fascist government was bringing prosperity to the people of Argentina, pushing their way out of the Great Depression. I agree with both Meghan and Anni, when they stated that another moment in history similar to Argentina was Nazi Germany as well as Italy under Mussolini’s rule. During an economic crisis, countries such as Argentina, Germany, and Italy need a strong, authoritative ruler rather than mixed signals from a number of politicians in government. Eventually, all Fascist leaders are overthrown when the people see the errors of their ways, yet in a time of great turmoil, the people are willing to follow anyone.
ReplyDeleteGermany which was the pinnacle of fascist states went through a depression and instilled fascist laws to instill order. Germany was buried under the treaty of versailles in 1932 inflation and lost of pride led the nation to install the third riche. this fascist government took was not only extremely racist but overbearing and aggressive. it solved the economy by mobilizing the army and creating war products .
ReplyDeleteAfter I read this, I felt that in Argentina the recovery might have been slow and steady because a part of them did not know which direction to go or move towards. The depression that Argentina went through ultimately changed the views of many during the time, they realized their government needed to change and they started thinking about facism. Even though the article talked about the people thinking about the idea of a democracy or an oligarchy, the people ended up going with fascism because it seemed to be the best choice for the country in helping them move forward.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how bad a political system is, there are always some good things about it (at least...). Most opinions about Fascism today are negative, and I agree because when it hurts other countries (e.x. Germany in WWII) it is negative and hurtful. But if we consider it in another way, forget about what people said about Fascism now and look back to Argentina, the way how Fascism push and pull the country out of the Great Depression is really positive. When a country was seeking a political system but couldn't find one, some extreme political system might work, and Argentina was a good example. I do think that the author seems to be touting slow but steady recovery, and there is still a move to introduce fascist policies to the state, but that is understandable. Under some specific condition, when everything goes into the same direction, things might work out. Argentina needed recovery, but the way it recovered was just different from other political systems. During the second World War, Germany was a fascism country, although it hurt the world and it finally failed, before it failed, Germany's power in the world was strong and it got some territories back and its economy developed (or recovered) a lot, which was much faster than FDR's New Deal. Central power made recovery easier in some way.
ReplyDeleteLike I mentioned in another blog post I see certain actions undertaken by nations no matter how extreme or unethical, to be okay as long as they preserve long time prosperity and existence. When thinking of Fascism I think of a long street in Germany lined to the teeth in Nazi flags and waving Germans. This symbolizes the unity seen under a fascist government. Fascism also allows for a single, totally authoritative leader who is at the helm of the nation. Argentina needed this as their economy was failing, military coups were on the rise, and dissent among the people. While eventually both fascists states Germany and Argentina had to pay for switching to this form of government maybe it was the only option they had and had they not, they would never have gotten anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I can think of to support fascism is when a country's economy and government is unstable, fascism can serve as that stability. By giving the power to a dictator, all the power is coming from one place/ person making all the decisions. This can take away some of the instability because numerous sources of power do not bicker over law making and changes that should be dealt. The author said fascism was necessary during a slow recovery because finding new political powers could take a lot of time, and time is not what they have. By giving the power just to one person, it takes a lot of the time to figure out what the government plan is. Like Andrew said, fascism did work in giving Germany a speedy recovery after World War I. And although it failed eventually, if some different decisions were made, it could have potentially panned out in their favor.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Argentineans went towards a fascist government because it was a way to make the power coming from one direct source that has the best interest for the country, not many different parties/types of government all wanting different things. I think that this was the best solution for Argentina because they were in such a state of chaos that they just finally needed someone to step up and lead the country completely. What comes to my mind when i hear the word fascism is Hitler. Although Hitler made very poor decisions to say the least, it still put Germany on track to recovering after WWI.
ReplyDeleteThe best historical example that I can think of that fits under this definition of fascism is Stalinist Russia. Now, I do not recall specifics of Russia's government under Stalin, but I do recall Animal Farm, which was a metaphorical story for Stalinist Russia. The one-party dictatorship were Napoleon and his pigs (aka Stalin and his ever supportive PR group), the forcible suppression of oppression was the dogs killing the hens who disagreed with Napoleon, as well as the dogs chasing off Snowball (who represents Leon Trotsky), who was his opponent in power over the farm. In Animal Farm, the economy was rigged to bring luxury to Napoleon and his pigs, whereas everyone else in the mutual working class barely received enough living necessities to survive (metaphor for how Stalin ran Russia).
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