Argentina: Oligarchy, Immigration, and Economic Transformation (1880-1916)

1916: The Oligarchic Era

1880-1916: The period began with an oligarchy in Buenos Aires, where power was held by a wealthy elite. The government was controlled by a conservative regime, based on a select few who managed presidential succession. From 1880, an economic development model was implemented, focused on expanding agricultural exports from the fertile grasslands of La Pampa. The governments of this period consolidated the state, enacted liberal laws, and implemented policies that promoted economic and social modernization. Some measures strengthened the central government. For example, the 1884 Education Law 1420 established free, compulsory, and secular primary education. Between 1880 and 1890, there was economic prosperity and a strong government without significant opposition. Between 1890 and 1916, the UCR (Radical Civic Union) emerged as the opposition party, challenging the agro-export model. The hegemonic party was the PAN (National Autonomist Party). The League of Governors was consolidated in 1880 within the PAN. For a decade, they enjoyed hegemony, and national elections were never successfully disputed. The PAN represented the upper class, the Buenos Aires oligarchy. Their supremacy was due to the absence of organized opposition and the desire to maintain control, which was absorbed into partisan politics throughout the decade. The ruling party (PAN) faced opposition, especially from 1890, with the coordination of opposition sectors in the Civic Union and a revolutionary movement: the "Revolution of the Park," which, although unsuccessful, led to the resignation of President Juarez Celman.

Immigration and its Impact

IMMIGRATION: Immigration was a key element in the transition from traditional to modern Argentina. Until 1880, settlement policies aimed to promote agriculture, livestock, and the transport network, with the goal of industrializing the country. The immigrant stream was diverse, with nearly half coming from Italy, especially the south, and a third from Spain. After 1880, immigration entered its second phase. Labor was sought for massive agricultural-livestock production, but few immigrants became landowners, as land was divided among the elite. With the failure of land allocation, immigrants became tenants or laborers and sought refuge in urban centers. Thus, settlement policies failed. Predominantly male immigration focused on rural activities, promoting the development of an agricultural economy that made Argentina the leading wheat exporter, despite importing it until 1870. As a result of immigration, Argentina's social structure became more complex. While the middle and popular sectors grew, the upper class remained closed to immigrants, retaining wealth, prestige (based on "seniority and ancestors"), and political-economic power associated with land ownership. In 1875, the General Commission of Immigration was created, and in 1876, Law No. 761, known as the Immigration and Colonization Law, was enacted. This law also allowed the government to expel immigrants without trial. Another law focused on the protection of society. Ideologies such as anarchism, socialism, and trade unionism emerged.

Causes of Immigration

• The need for Argentina to join the European market.
• The contrasting needs of Argentina and Europe.
• The suitability of the Humid Pampa for farming.
• The policies of the '80s generation to transform the country into the American image.
• The industrial policy of Anglo-Saxon and European cities for their modern and well-structured nature.

Causes of immigration: