Argentina: A Textbook Case Of Government Gone Mad

[camberiu]

A good way to think about Argentina is that it is an immigrant society, very much like the US, except that the dominating culture emerging from the melting pot was Italian. This is why Argentines tend to be famous for their dark good looks, vibrant culture, and excellent food. Unfortunately, they also inherited "Italian style" politics. I think that's a useful context for understanding the consistent dysfunctioning of the Argentine government.
This at least partially explains Argentina's long love affair with the Peróns. The country had one of the most successful economies in the world until Juan Perón came into power and destroyed it. And, with some rare bright spots, it's gone through long periods of financial crisis ever since. Despite that, the Perónistas are still very much in charge.

FULL ARTICLE

 

[EdRooney]

I stopped reading when he said the food was good here.

 

[camberiu]

I stopped reading when he said the food was good here.

I do agree that such statements can obliterate one's credibility.

 

[robwerwe]

[font=Lucida Grande']and excellent food. [/font]

[font=Lucida Grande']FULL ARTICLE[/font]

Thread end ///

 

[mariposa]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]his is why Argentines tend to be famous for their .........excellent food.[/background]

HUH???????

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

And you were on such a roll ... !

 

[robwerwe]

And you were on such a roll ... !

Don't make such a meal of it!

 

[che]

I am not quite sure Italians have a lock on corruption. Chicago with a Jew Mayor and black city council in charge seem to do well at corruption. DC with its meltng pot of white shoe lawyers, senators, bankers, lobbyists, all of whom own the city are traditionally WASPs and Irish. Are they "Italian-style"? Clearly there is a "mafia" in control of the United States just like there is a mafia in control of Argentina.

The stereotype that this is somehow "Italian" manifests the interviewee to be an un educated bigot.

And for someone who has been here a total of 8 months to be now a self described expert in Argentina is suspect. Further, the fact that he is pushing land at $200+K per acre in the middle of no where manifests his inability to see the sad reality of the situation. In fact, I do believe he is correct by stating that there is a young group in charge with no clue what they are doing. What he fails to mention is how dangerous that could be to foreigners. Envidia is serious down here and when things really get bad every foreigner especially from the US better have an escape route. Having a couple hundred K tied up in land with a bunch of other rich americans does not seem to be a good idea if you are trying to lay low in an imploding economy. THe interview is an infomercial for land. The fact that a kilo of meat is cheap may be true but is an aside from the real issues he portends to be an expert. This guy is just a hustler selling land.

Finally, I think his expertise on the situation down here is suspect because he states that he thinks the government will get voted out next year. Please... they just changed the judicial laws depsite protests. They recently chaged travel laws despite what the middle class wants. Capital controls are in full. My son just came from school before flag day with a questionairre as to the family's political beliefs. The notion that somehow the uneducated Argentine populace is going to vote out the government next year is wshful thinking at best, IMO. Anyone who holds this view seriously is clearly not a student of curent Argentine politics. IN fact right in Cafayate where the person lives the Camora is in the central square every Sunday doing their dance. All the local farmers and their families are right there supporting it depsite how provincial a foreigner may find it.If you believe the K's are on the way out then I have a bridge to sell you.... to Cafayate! AFter you get there you can buy some land. Then you just have to find some skilled hands that can actually build a home without leaks... Suerte!

Don't get me wrong, I live here and like it here. But the reality is like everywhere else in the world today... it is tough going.

p.s. - bragging about paying someone slave labor wages to clean your home for 5 hours per day 5 days a week pr 25 hours per week $40 = $1.60/per hour - seems quite distasteful at best. I suppose he believes paying "Italians" slave wage is fair b/c they are inherently corrupt. In our house we clean our selves and when we have help we pay fair wages out of common respect for fellow humans. I encourage all other expats to pay fair human wages to those ypou could exploit.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

It's ideological drivel that gets in the way of understanding what's really going on. The Cold War is over, and Argentina is really a kleptocracy that makes cynical use of client-patron politics to obscure what it's really doing.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

I am not quite sure Italians have a lock on corruption. Chicago with a Jew Mayor and black city council in charge seem to do well at corruption. DC with its meltng pot of white shoe lawyers, senators, bankers, lobbyists, all of whom own the city are traditionally WASPs and Irish. Are they "Italian-style"? Clearly there is a "mafia" in control of the United States just like there is a mafia in control of Argentina.

The stereotype that this is somehow "Italian" manifests the interviewee to be an un educated bigot.

And for someone who has been here a total of 8 months to be now a self described expert in Argentina is suspect. Further, the fact that he is pushing land at $200+K per acre in the middle of no where manifests his inability to see the sad reality of the situation. In fact, I do believe he is correct by stating that there is a young group in charge with no clue what they are doing. What he fails to mention is how dangerous that could be to foreigners. Envidia is serious down here and when things really get bad every foreigner especially from the US better have an escape route. Having a couple hundred K tied up in land with a bunch of other rich americans does not seem to be a good idea if you are trying to lay low in an imploding economy. THe interview is an infomercial for land. The fact that a kilo of meat is cheap may be true but is an aside from the real issues he portends to be an expert. This guy is just a hustler selling land.

So, been anti-Semitic and racist long?