I got lost on page 6 or 7 with the back and forth on this thread, but I think lacoqueta asks a good question about daily lives of expats in a default situation, and I will mention my experience, since we started coming to Argentina (part time at that point) in January 2001. Obviously, many people have mentioned the economic and governmental aspects, and what that means for savings, jobs and the economic future of all. But I think the social impact in 2001 was just as devastating and demoralizing. With the corralito, people couldn't even get their hands on their own money, and it was converted to pesos against their will, losing huge value. The stores were empty, the cab drivers were even more morose than usual, and there were constant protests in the street, some with fatal consequences. Everyone was depressed and freaked out and angry. The streets were (even more) full of trash with (even more) graffiti everywhere. The street and highway blockages were totally out of control.
Sorry to be so bleak, but that's how I remember it. I can't imagine anyone wants another default, even if their precious dollars become even more valuable. The repercussions aren't just about a stronger greenback. It was ugly and sad. Hard to believe it could happen again.
Its not something that depends on the will, its not a matter of if they want or not. Of course I assume that everyone here wants the best to this country, no doubt about that, its just like possessing dollars automatically makes ourselves as tiny speculators, we are just little agents playing on the same side that the important capitals that are for a default. Of course, apart from what people say, are the facts, the practices, and just buying dollars, having dollars, puts us, wanted or not, in the side against Argentina.
About what you say, trash in the streets and more protests, that was just the face of huge social problems; when I talk of expanding the internal market and the recovery of the economy, the 6% of unemployment and huge social planning by this government, I mean this. We have to remember where we come from.
I remember in 2001 more than 75% of the negocios were closed with the "se alquila" sign, I remember lesser people in the streets, at least till neighbouring assemblies began, that crisis had a lot of political participation, lots of protests. I remember almost nothing of traffic, almost no cars, I remember a lot more of people begging, much more insecure, more dirty, as you said... nights was very hard to be on the streets...
It was not only a default, though. There were a lot of things accumulated in that crisis. It was the end of an era, of a political and economical plan, of only one way to understand politics. It was a huge change. I would bet that the next president will have more continuities with this government in lots of aspects, than a 180° change like it was in 2001.
