Background
- Populism in Latin America emerged after the Great Depression (1929), when traditional elites failed to protect workers and farmers from economic collapse.
- New leaders used nationalism, social reform, and mass mobilization to gain support from the working class.
- Both Juan Domingo Perón in Argentina and Getúlio Vargas in Brazil promised to modernize their countries, reduce inequality, and defend national sovereignty from foreign control.
- Their regimes mixed authoritarianism with charismatic leadership, combining genuine social reform with political repression.
Definition
Authoritarianism
- Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the consolidation of power in a single leader or small group, limited political pluralism, repression of dissent, and little to no accountability to the public.
Rise to Power and Legitimacy
Perón (Argentina)
- Rose from the army after the 1943 military coup that ended conservative rule.
- As Minister of Labor, gained loyalty from workers through social benefits and labor rights.
- Elected president in 1946 with the support of trade unions and the poor (descamisados).
- His wife Eva Perón expanded his popularity through welfare programs and women’s political participation.
Vargas (Brazil)
- Came to power through the 1930 Revolution, overthrowing the Old Republic controlled by coffee elites.
- Established the Estado Novo (New State) dictatorship in 1937, claiming to defend national unity.
- Built legitimacy through labor reform, industrialization, and nationalist propaganda.
- Returned as a democratically elected president in 1951, showing lasting popularity among the working class.
Definition
Estado Novo (1937–1945)
- Vargas’s authoritarian regime emphasizing nationalism, state-led industrialization, and social control through corporatist labor policies.
Case study
The 1930 Revolution in Latin America (Brazil)
Background
- Before 1930, Brazil was ruled by a political system known as the Old Republic (1889–1930).
- Power was shared between wealthy landowning elites from São Paulo (coffee producers) and Minas Gerais (dairy producers).
- This arrangement was called “café com leite” politics (“coffee with milk”), as it excluded most of the population from politics.
- The Great Depression (1929) caused global coffee prices to collapse, destroying Brazil’s export economy.
- Middle-class reformers, military officers, and regional leaders began to challenge the old system.
Causes of the Revolution
- Economic crisis: Falling coffee prices led to unemployment and loss of government income.
- Social discontent: Workers and peasants demanded reforms and better living conditions.
- Political exclusion: Only elites had power; the middle and working classes were left out.
- Regional rivalry: Other states resented São Paulo’s dominance in politics.
- Trigger event: When Washington Luís (president) chose another São Paulo politician as his successor in 1930, opposition formed behind Getúlio Vargas of Rio Grande do Sul.
Main Events
- Vargas led a coalition of disgruntled politicians, military officers, and young nationalists.
- His forces launched a revolt in October 1930, quickly gaining control of major cities.
- The army refused to support the old regime, forcing President Washington Luís to resign.
- On November 3, 1930, Vargas became provisional president, marking the end of the Old Republic.
Results and Significance
- Vargas began a period of modernization and centralization in Brazil.
- The revolution ended the rule of regional coffee elites and opened politics to new social groups, including workers and the middle class.
- Vargas introduced labor reforms, promoted industrialization, and created a stronger national identity.
- The 1930 Revolution is often seen as the turning point from an agricultural oligarchy to a modern, urban, industrial Brazil.
- It also inspired other Latin American countries to question elite dominance and demand economic reform.
Ideology
Perón:
- Promoted Justicialismo (social justice), a mix of nationalism, labor rights, and Catholic values.
- Opposed communism and capitalism, calling his model the “Third Position.”
- Focused on workers’ dignity, social unity, and Argentina’s independence from foreign powers.
Vargas:
- Promoted Brazilian nationalism and economic independence.
- Supported corporatism, linking workers and the state through controlled unions.
- Emphasized modernization, order, and social harmony under a strong central government.
Definition
Justicialismo
- Justicialismo, also known as Peronism, is characterized by its "three flags": social justice, economic independence, and political sovereignty. The doctrine emphasizes nationalism, the empowerment of the working class, and state intervention in the economy.
Social, Economic, and Political Policies
Social Policies
- Expanded education, housing, and social welfare programs to gain working-class loyalty.
- Promoted labor unions and women’s participation (especially under Perón).
Economic Policies
- Perón: Adopted Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI), nationalized railways and utilities, raised wages, and promoted industrial growth.
- Vargas: Founded the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (National Steel Company) and invested in oil and energy through Petrobras.
- Both leaders relied on state-led industrialization and protected domestic industries from foreign competition.
Political Policies
- Centralized power, limited press freedom, and controlled unions through state agencies.
- Used propaganda and symbols (e.g., Perón and Evita, Vargas’s nationalist slogans) to build loyalty.
- Combined reform with repression, balancing popular support and political control.
Definition
Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI)
- Economic strategy promoting domestic industry to replace foreign imports, reducing dependence on global markets
Successes and Failures
Successes:
- Improved living standards for workers through better wages, healthcare, and education.
- Strengthened national identity and promoted industrial growth.
- Reduced foreign dependence by developing domestic industries.
Failures:
- Economic growth was uneven and led to inflation and corruption.
- Suppressed political freedoms and concentrated power in the executive branch.
- Both were eventually overthrown by the military when their regimes lost elite and military support.
Treatment of Opposition
Perón:
- Controlled unions and censored opposition media.
- Imprisoned or exiled political opponents.
- After Eva’s death (1952), his popularity declined, and he was overthrown in 1955.
Vargas:
- Banned political parties and censored the press during the Estado Novo period.
- Used secret police to suppress dissent.
- After returning to power democratically, faced opposition from conservatives and the military.
- Under pressure from the army, he committed suicide in 1954, becoming a martyr for nationalism.
Definition
Censorship
- Censorship in Cuba was a systematic government policy designed to eliminate dissent and control all forms of communication, including print, electronic media, arts, and academia.
Exam technique
- Use compare and contrast structure when writing essays: show both similarities (populism, nationalism, social reform) and differences (Perón more labor-based, Vargas more corporatist).
- Always support arguments with specific reforms and policies.
- Highlight the balance between popular support and authoritarian control.
Common Mistake
- Treating populism as purely positive and ignoring its authoritarian aspects.
- Forgetting to discuss legitimacy and ideology separately from policies.
- Mixing up timelines. Remember Vargas ruled twice, both dictator (1937–45) and elected (1951–54).Ignoring the role of women and labor unions in maintaining support.
Theory of Knowledge
- Knowledge and Emotion: Can charismatic leadership replace democratic institutions?
- Perón and Vargas used emotion, identity, and nationalism to unite divided societies, showing how political legitimacy can depend on feelings as much as formal democracy.
Self review
- Examine the rise to power and legitimacy of two populist leaders in Latin America.
- Assess the success of the economic and social policies of two Latin American populist leaders.
- To what extent did populist leaders strengthen democracy in their countries?
- Evaluate the treatment of opposition under populist regimes in Latin America.
