What Is Peronism?

[Joe]

Is Peronism simply Petty Populism for the Peasants?

Or is it More? As Expats should we spearhead a movement to spread Peronism around the world?

From Wikipedia: One of the most vocal critics of Peronism was the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. After Perón ascended to the presidency in 1946, Borges spoke before the Argentine Society of Writers (SADE), saying

Dictatorships breed oppression, dictatorships breed servility, dictatorships breed cruelty; more loathsome still is the fact that they breed idiocy. Bellboys babbling orders, portraits ofcaudillos, prearranged cheers or insults, walls covered with names, unanimous ceremonies, mere discipline usurping the place of clear thinking... Fighting these sad monotonies is one of the duties of a writer. Need I remind readers of Martín Fierro or Don Segundo that individualism is an old Argentine virtue.

 

[Lucho Saade]

Jorge Luis Borges counts as one of my favorite writers in the world. As a born-and-bred Argentine, I can tell you that my family and I have never sympathized with the Peronist cause; what's more, we've all been affected by it more than benefited.
It's an old, outdated doctrine which I honestly thought would run out-of-use by the time exPresident Carlos Menem finished his rule; however, my country's repetitive, almost sickening history proved me wrong once more.

 

[Yogur griego]

Where's the poll?

 

[pauper]

Borges was just pissed at being promoted by Peron from his job at a municipal library in Boedo to chief poultry inspector.
Peronismo existed before Peron. Peronismo is the ultimate exp<b></b>ression of that elusive quality: Argentineness.

Good luck spreading it abroad or eradicating it at home.

Now let us all sit back and enjoy watching Mauricio emerge from the cocoon and transform into a beautiful mariposa peronista.

 

[Matiasba]

I will take Guillermo O' Donnell definition, who said Peronismo is sort of a defensive alliance between the working class and the small national business class, both pro-industry, against the agrarian & the big multinational capital acting together.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Peronism is opportunism with an Argentine face.

 

[Chet]

Also from wiki

It is, however, a generally ill-defined ideology; different, and sometimes contradictory sentiments are expressed in the name of Peronism.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Actually, Peronism is a blame game: a timely essay at http://tinyurl.com/n38ve47

 

[pauper]

I will take Guillermo O' Donnell definition, who said Peronismo is sort of a defensive alliance between the working class and the small national business class, both pro-industry, against the agrarian & the big multinational capital acting together.

That is also a good definition. Australia, Canada and New Zealand are kicking themselves for not following the same path.

 

[London2Baires]

I remember an old story where Peron was once asked about political plurality, he said:

'we have a lot of political views in Argentina, we have people from the center, from the left, from the right, from the extreme left, from the extreme right'

And what about Peronists?, asked the interlocutor.

'oh no, they are all Peronists' answered Peron.

In other words it is a political label devoid of any consistent ideological basis other than some sort of Machiavellianism; striving only for power and self preservation it is realpolitik incarnate.

Thats how it looks to me anyway.