The Riddle Of Argentina Discussed

In my previous post in this thread I pointed out to a different problem, one that is certainly not exclusive of Argentina. But since the direction of the debate has once again turned into a debate about American foreign policy I guess then that its popularity must merit some discussion.

There is a World Order in contrast to a free arrangement of sovereign nations. The incarnation of that World Order is the New York based United Nations.
The United Nations was created and represents the interest of the non germanic white nations of the world and later China. More to the point, it was the umbrella organization for the Allied and specifically American victory over the Axis powers in WWII and indeed of the American and Siberian victory over the whole of Europe.
Countries that have outspokenly acted against the United Nations before its creation (Germany) and after (North Korea) have been submitted to the most uncontested demonization and isolation. "They turn you into a monster and then they call you one".

Argentina did not align herself promptly with the Allied winning powers and her lack of fealty was quiet fairly not rewarded. It was supposed that Argentina had gained enough during the war by maintaining neutrality, much like Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey or Persia. All of those countries suffered different fates.

Joe's very nice post about self-responsibility still, I must admit, doesn't answer Matias' very genuine concerns about how Argentina was "punished" by the international community for remaining neutral during the white people's civil war.

Matias never addresses the fact that not all neutral countries blame the United States for their troubles. Sweden and Turkey did not suffer the same consequences as Persia/Iran. Maybe Matias chip on the shoulder is that Peronism means Argentine Sovereignty at the expense of Argentines' wellbeing. That Argentine sovereignty and the Third Reich are no different in politics, only practice and scope, and that I'm not saying that as an accusation as I see all human beings equally potentially evil. I see that the losers are demonized more than the winners, at first - which is then compensated by the underdog argument

Now out of geopolitics:
Argentina's territory is only a third apt for agriculture (which is a lot!), the rest is good for forestry, mining and even sheep grazing. The population is a unique mix of General European, Southern European and Criollo and Indian South American. 50 years under the aegis of the British Commonwealth created excellent, now crumbling, infrastructure which raised the standard for Latin America.
Argentina has the potential to become both a successful country such as Chile or Uruguay, and a promising country with potential for growth such as Paraguay.
But it must first learn to behave in the international scene with neutrality but without hostility. Swizterland has managed, if that's the standard Argentina has propped itself, then that's the challenge.
Otherwise just "give in" to the Americans (when it's obviously too late) and try to become part of Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Heck even Norway is not part of the EU but part of EFTA. so is Switzerland!
Argentina must either fully embrace or let go of its geopolitical ambitions.
(I think that contest is already lost: Chile has access to both oceans while Argentina lost that disagreement without fighting a bullet, instead fighting the British who had nothing to do with it. Argentina is no longer of Geopolitical importance).
 
Unstable political situation explained in a high porcentage by external political forces. You can not explain Latin Americans dictatorships without the US. That is politics ABC.

Fair enough, Matias. But please explain to us why Argentina continues on a road to self-destruction while countries like Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil (all of whom had dictators) have begun to prosper.
 
Fair enough, Matias. But please explain to us why Argentina continues on a road to self-destruction while countries like Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil (all of whom had dictators) have begun to prosper.

I dont think this government is destructive, we have a ot of consumption, that is, money to the argentines (and not only the farmers or the bankers, as ususal) low unemployment, low debt, industry growth... it is difficult to find seomeone who has been doing bad during the K years.

About your beloved Chile, remember Argentina has a favourable migration balance with them. And with Uruguay too. And with Colombia, and Paraguay, and Peru, and Bolivia...
 
I dont think this government is destructive, we have a ot of consumption, that is, money to the argentines (and not only the farmers or the bankers, as ususal) low unemployment, low debt, industry growth... it is difficult to find seomeone who has been doing bad during the K years.

Mattias, I don't believe it is hard to find someone who has been doing badly during the K years. All the Argentines I have daily contact with, are increasingly constrained by the cost of goods and services growing so much faster than their incomes. They definitely do not feel they have been flourishing during this time period, nor do they feel that this government has their well-being in mind.
 
I dont think this government is destructive, we have a ot of consumption, that is, money to the argentines (and not only the farmers or the bankers, as ususal) low unemployment, low debt, industry growth... it is difficult to find seomeone who has been doing bad during the K years.

About your beloved Chile, remember Argentina has a favourable migration balance with them. And with Uruguay too. And with Colombia, and Paraguay, and Peru, and Bolivia...

We have a lot of Tuberculosis?

If you find it difficult to find such persons you might try locating a dentist without connections to la campora, or perhaps an importer of model trains and aircrafts. Or any other such thing. I'm not sure where to trace the line of what is and what isn't imperialistic: Obviously wanting to build a miniature train or aircraft collection in Argentina is not very Nacional y Popular, an imperialistic hobby that should not be permitted. But what about tampons and dentistry equipment?

so one could say that chileans (not sure how many), bolivians, paraguayans and uruguayans (not sure how many*) are immigrating to argentina while third generation argentines are migrating to Western Europe, sometimes North America, even Mexico.
Considering that demographic change I am sure is also some kind of thought crime, well not some kind, but the most popular one.

*but dozens of Argentines ask and are refused Uruguayan citizenship on a daily basis
 
I dont think this government is destructive, we have a ot of consumption, that is, money to the argentines (and not only the farmers or the bankers, as ususal) low unemployment, low debt, industry growth... it is difficult to find seomeone who has been doing bad during the K years.

About your beloved Chile, remember Argentina has a favourable migration balance with them. And with Uruguay too. And with Colombia, and Paraguay, and Peru, and Bolivia...

Question Matias have you ever lived any place in the first world for a long period of time?

Also your blame shifting the US really does not fit. Look at Japan they were destroyed after WW2 and rose out of that to become an international player. Argentina just kept going down hill and playing the same old song and the same old games.

it is difficult to find seomeone who has been doing bad during the K years.

I find it mind blowing that you actually believe this. Because my friends in Argentina that work are telling me the inflation has been killing them as they have to cut back on so many things they used to enjoy. Like quality grociers including meat for their families. Because their salaries are not keeping up with inflation so they have had to feed cheaper food their famlies. On the other hand if you are a social program bum I guess you could say other wise.
 
I think Matias tells us that he doesn't really support or like this government because he thinks maybe that if he did tell us the truth he'd think we'd discount his opinions about the government here even more than most of us already do. It's the only thing I can think of to explain how he constantly defends this government time and time again (even though I can only remember mostly support with a few criticisms thrown in for effect. Matias, actions speak louder than words, even when the actions are simply the words you write). And really, not just this government, but apparently any government that is not military or neo-liberal. I should have said he seems to support neo-Peronism.

Matt, I'm not sure he (or very many people, maybe) would get the joke about tuberculosis :) Although it made sense to me, particularly in light of Matias' comments about increased consumption - any increased consumption in this economic environment, any extra spending and, therefore consumption on the part of many, is because no one sees a point in keeping their pesos and are spending them as they get them - before they devalue any farther. It sure as hell ain't healthy consumption, more as though related to a disease. And with the government continuously attacking the blue rate and its providers over the last few months, they've managed to heavily distort one of the last free markets available in this country.

This is the true Riddle of Argentina - how can people continue to be so blind? How can people continue to think that the people who run this country 1) have a clue just because they've somehow managed to keep an actual crash from happening, while really worsening things for those who come later and meanwhile a lot of people wallow in misery and 2) give a crap about anything beyond their own power, wealth and well-being? As far as the latter goes, it's not so different from just about any country in the world. The big difference here is the people have swallowed hook, line and sinker the excuses from the country's biggest thieves - their own government at just about every level.

While blaming the US for all its woes, they have a great excuse to continue being corrupt and to have the ability to suck the country dry because people actually believe them. As a people, not just the government - that's why the government can continue to be so corrupt and so many people can continue to be dirt poor. Too many people accept corruption and accept that as "the way things are." I can see the typical Argentine shoulder-shrug now. Que se puede hacer?

Whenever I get into a discussion with Argentinos about their country, there are always two distinct sides. Those who want opportunities and economic freedom despise the Kirchners (which includes a lot of middle class people, as well as rich and poor) and those who think Argentina is doing good are either poor (particularly those who live in the Villas and think Cristina is "fighting for them") or really think that Cristina has been David fighting Goliath and that's the only reason the country has any problems at all - that damned Goliath is just plain out to get them. Or - they work for the government and are either highly idealistic and/or part of the problem. Either way, the majority I talk to are not happy at all. They also know and use the blue market quite a bit, also quite opposite to what Matias sees.

No matter what happened in past decades, the US barely knows Argentina exists. And the only recent press they've gotten in the US has been this stupidity with the "vultures" and Judge Griesa and the really stupid comments Cristina makes for her fellow "patriots" who, as I've mentioned, seem to swallow everything she throws at them.

And yeah, Pensador, I'm with you, when you say it's mind-blowing to believe that it's hard to find anyone doing bad "during the K years." Unf**king believable to tell the truth. While everyone all around me is struggling (oh, except those rich folk who come from wealthy families who just happen to live around me), people like Matias cannot see what is plain before their face. Obviously they are well-off themselves (rich or part of the government or a strong union most likely) and don't know anyone who is poor.

Oh wait, what is the poverty level again? From back in April, according to la Nacion:

Mientras que la canasta básica alimentaria -que fija el umbral de la indigencia- del Indec en el cuarto trimestre del año pasado culminó en $ 788, para la UCA ascendió a $ 1982 en el mismo período.

En cuanto a la canasta básica total -que permite medir el nivel de pobreza- para el Indec estaba en $ 1783, mientras que para la UCA se ubicó en $ 4142.

Freaking liars and thieves, this government for sure. See, most likely unlike Matias, and others who think Argentina is just weathering some uncertain times brought on first by the "crisis global" (yeah, caused in large part by both the economic policies of US and Europe, but not targeted at Argentina) and then the obvious huge problems brought on by those awful vultures and other holdouts, really, really believe that $1783 a month is actually the poverty limit and $4142 a month is well into middle class. I'm doubting Matias or other fellow believers even know anyone who is really poor.

Thing is, I know plenty of people who make about $4000 pesos a month. If you call living in a one room hovel, known congenially as a "hotel" most often, if you are from anywhere in the world other tha here you'd think that person is in the depth of poverty, not even right at the line. And that one room place is costing upwards of $2000 pesos a month now!!! Well, gee, after all, they have a hot plate in their room, a bathroom and a kitchen (which really isn't much of a kitchen and is usually filled with ancient appliances at best) down the hall (which they share with a number of residents) - I mean how can you call that poor? After all, they are alive aren't they, with a roof over their head? Hell, who gives a damn what kind of a life they have as long as they can live, right?

And the people who make what the government claims as poverty? Well, they live in places like the Villas. And that's not poverty, that's more like humans living as animals. People of Argentina - start to give a crap how at least a third of your population lives! And I personally feel that more than half really live in poverty, compared to what I'm used to.

I guess the big difference must be that those who think Argentina is doing well and consuming don't really think that those on the bottom levels of society deserve anything better anyway and much like the Chinese in China who live in the cities at a comfortable standard of living don't see the nearly one billion Chinese who live in terrible conditions, terrible poverty and ignorance.

As I've said many, many times. Grow up and start seeing Argentina for what it really is, not some fabled place that once had a wonderful leader who will return someday in the guise of some other hero and lead all Argentinos to economic freedom, without really lifting a finger to change anything basic.
 
About your beloved Chile, remember Argentina has a favourable migration balance with them. And with Uruguay too. And with Colombia, and Paraguay, and Peru, and Bolivia...

People come from Paraguay and Argentine money goes to Paraguay. No, I'm not talking about sending money to relatives (as El Queso pointed out that Argentine Dream died in the 90s or perhaps mid 00s), I'm talking about bean growers pooling their money and moving to less oppressive regulatory environments. So the people coming are just in hopes of extracting some meat from an old fat carcass. They probably know their countries of origin are small eggs, but an egg has a meatier future than a carcass.

Matias, my dear namesake, my sinister doppelganger, have you read the paper today? Dilma Rousseff has began her second term warning about future fiscal discipline and the polite equivalent of austerity measures. That's not even the point, she also emphasized Brasil's need to "perfect" (not amend, not sustain, but perfect!) relations with the USA because of the high trade, scientific and even cultural value of their relationship.

Bresil is also Latin America, they also have paranoid beliefs about the Americans trying to conquer the Amazon and so on, but they also fought during WWII (Old Italians ladies know this fact too well) and therefore, even thought they are the biggest country in one of the only three continents of the New World, they secured their position as an ally of Western Civilization and not a contender for its center (which I believe is Argentina's super delusional problem).

Don't make me link it, just google news "dilma" and tell me why even the Brazilian Left is wrong (since you already made it clear that the Chilean left is out of the question)
 
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