Post by nathanael on Jun 13, 2008 4:04:06 GMT -7
Argentina in crisis, again. It is the dispute between the government and the farmers. As a former naturalized Argentine, I know something about Argentina. Chavez may or may not have much to do with the current crisis, although he may have been one of the "sparks." This "crisis" goes beyond socialism and the meddling of Venezuela. There are two trends inherent in the Argentinian nationhood and psyche. The first, the working class trend, is to sympathize with populism. Evita Peron still has a lot of appeal to the poorer majority. The second is the minority trend represented by the wealthier classes, above all the farmers (the farmers are not your normal campesinos, but the gauchos doing the business of the barons). The gauchos are the soul of Argentina. They see themselves as indomitable martin fierros (the ficticious national hero in the novel of the famous Argentinian poet, Jose Hernandez). These two trends collide every time when each other's interests are threatened, or when a third (romantic) trend kicks in: the meddling of a government! This is such a time. The rich minority is extremely powerful in Argentina, far beyond the powers of governments. All wealth is traditionally in 32 families' hands, more or less. These "cattle barons" pass their power from generation to generation, from family to family. Few of them ever even live in Argentina. They are the ultimate globalists, the Argentinian style. The bulk of the population depends on the political caciques and judges these families put in place. That is what Mrs. Fernandez de Kirchner is against. The redistribution of wealth card has traditionally been played by presidents, at great risk. Juan Domingo Peron's Casa Rosada was bombed in 1955, if I recall. My own father had enough time to flee to Chile across the Andes, and then on a cannon boat to Venezuela. Peron was a populist. Do I personally think that wealth in Argentina should be redistributed? I do. But it has to be done intelligently. Otherwise, it is a dangerous business that may cause too much pain. For that reason, I see more hope in a serious dialogue with OEAS participation and US-UN participation. La Senora de Kirchner debe convocar una conferencia con ayuda de la nacion norteamericana y organizaciones internacionales para mediar esta situacion penosa y explosiva! Sin poderosos mediadores externos las cosas se agravaran peligrosamente y sin ninguna necesidad!