Never did I think that I would pen an article against Peronism.
To me, Juan Peron and Peronism (the Justicialist party) was the first Populist movement in the post 1945 era.
In brief, Peron elected in the only 3 “open and fair elections” that Argentina experienced in his lifetime post World War 2 (the 1946, 1951 and 1973 elections) – created and promoted a 3rd way (rejecting both capitalism without a conscience and the class war, slogan loving Marxists). During his governments – before the military coup in ’55 – and the military coup against his wife in ’76 – he galvanised his people, increasing not only productivity but also enabling increases in salaries (above inflation) as well as creating a basic social net – to provide education and basic health care to all.
But his and the movements great legacy has been hijacked and destroyed by self-enriching Reds, who create a ministry of Women, who enact laws that forbid companies to lay off un-needed labour (regardless of the profitability or productivity), who then have to pay (taxpayer) subsidies to these same thousands of companies to keep them afloat – creating a Marxist utopia – where the ½ who productively work keep alive the ½ who don’t.
Presently GDP is forecasted to drop by 2.5% this year, Consumer prices have jumped by 120% this year, Argentina has less cash and gold reserves than neighbouring Uruguay (a country with 8% of its population), and its $44 billion debt to the IMF remains unpaid.
Juan Peron would be “turning in his grave” at his “successors greed and incompetence.
It is in this light, that Javier Milei – an independent is standing in this Presidential election – against the political might of the Justicialist establishment.
Milei brings a simple but true message; the Government and its bankrupt institutions have failed. The people have suffered enough – and that the only solution is a “Night-watchman state” – a state that is solely responsible for providing its citizens with the military, the police, and courts, thereby protecting them from aggression, theft, breach of contract and enforcing property laws.
The Argentinian peso that has been made valueless would be replaced by the U.S Dollar and the governments stated philosophy will be anti-Communist.
Taxes would be cut to single digits – so that the “fruits of the individuals labour” (the profits or gains achieved as a result of hard work) will go to the vast majority, the hard working people, the entrepreneurs. In short – to the people who get out of bed every day – to put food on their table for their own family.
It is for these reasons – that we Populists – hope that Argentina will choose Javier Milei – and a new way forward and reject the corrupt Reds who have “raped” an once great Peronist movement.