Export-Oriented Populism: Commodities and Coalitions in Argentina |
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Authors: | Neal P Richardson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 210 Barrows Hall #1950, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA |
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Abstract: | A new form of populism, combining broad-based benefits for urban workers with export promotion, emerged in Argentina under
Néstor Kirchner (2003–2007). This article argues that changes in agricultural production created the conditions for this “export-oriented
populism.” Historically, Argentina’s main exports, beef and wheat, were also the primary consumption goods of urban workers.
Scholars such as Guillermo O’Donnell have argued that this linkage increased rural-urban conflict, resulting in shifting coalitions
and recurring crises. Today, soybeans have replaced beef and wheat as the country’s leading export. Because soybeans are not
consumed by the working class, Kirchner could both promote and tax their export, generating fiscal revenue for populist programs
while not harming the effective purchasing power of urban workers or provoking a balance-of-payments crisis. Export orientation
thus provided the basis for a new variant of Argentine populism. This study offers a new argument within the classic research
tradition on the interaction between politics and various types of export growth. It likewise provides an additional basis
for arguing that populism, as a form of politics, can arise in diverse economic circumstances. Furthermore, this article contends
that, rather than uniformly promoting political stability, the effect of export booms is conditioned by the nature of economic
linkages between the export sector and the domestic economy.
Neal P. Richardson
is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of California, Berkeley. He researches the political economy of
commodity exporting in South America, particularly in Argentina and Brazil. He also studies land conflict in Brazil, as well
as quantitative and qualitative research methodology. |
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Keywords: | Populism Argentina Kirchner Export orientation Resource wealth Agriculture |
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