Scholarly Comments on Academic Economics

Classical Liberalism in Argentina, 1884 to 2023

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Abstract

In a prior article, we treated classical liberalism in Argentina from 1816 to 1884. Here we pick up around 1884, during Argentina’s golden age, and continue through the twentieth century and up to December 2023, stopping just as Javier Milei became President of Argentina. This article highlights the impact of nationalist education reforms starting in 1908, which progressively undermined liberal foundations and contributed to the emergence of Peronism and institutional instability. The article explores the persistence of classical liberal ideas through key figures such as Alberto Benegas Lynch, Carlos Sánchez Sañudo, and Álvaro Alsogaray, as well as institutions like ESEADE and UCEMA. It also analyzes how the 2001 economic crisis bolstered statist approaches, while certain academic institutions and think tanks continued to uphold classical liberal ideas.