The growth of the Argentine economy between 1880 and 1930 was spectacular. In this seminar we should consider the reasons for it (in particular the role of immigrants and foreign investment) and the social changes (or lack of them) which followed. Was the Argentine model sustainable or should there have been a change of direction in the early twentieth century? Why was economic growth not matched by the development of a stable pluralistic democracy? Why did the Radicals, in the end, not offer a real alternative to government by the elite?
J.C. Brown, 'The Bondage of Old Habits in Nineteenth-Century Argentina', LARR 21:2 (1986), 3-32
D. Rock, 'The Argentine Economy, 1890-1914: some salient features', in G. diTella & D.C.M. Platt (eds.), The Political Economy of Argentina, 1880-1946 [the papers by Halperín and O'Connell are also worth reading]
C. Díaz Alejandro, Essays on the Economic History of the Argentine Republic
American Historical Review 88 (1983) [for articles on immigration by Klein and Baily plus a discussion]
O. Cornblit, 'European Immigrants and Argentine Industry and Politics', in C. Veliz (ed.), The Politics of Conformity in Latin America
J.C. Moya, Cousins and Strangers: Spanish immigrants in Buenos Aires, 1850-1930
C.E. Solberg, 'Peopling the Pampas and the Prairies: the impact of immigration on Argentine and Canadian agrarian development, 1870-1930', JIASWA 24 (1982), 131-162
A.M. Taylor, ‘Peopling the Pampa: on the impact of mass migrations to the River Plate’, Explorations in Econ. Hist. 34 (1997), 100-132 [heavily quantitative but worth it]
H.S. Ferns, 'Britain's Informal Empire in Argentina, 1806-1914', Past and Present 4 (1953), 60-75
C.A. Jones, '"Business Imperialism" and Argentina: a theoretical note', JLAS 12 (1980), 437-444
A. Thompson, 'Informal Empire? An exploration in the history of Anglo-Argentine relations', JLAS 24 (1992), 419-436
A.G. Hopkins, ‘Informal Empire in Argentina: an alternative view’, JLAS 26 (1994), 469-484
M. Johns, ‘The Antinomies of Ruling Class Culture: the Buenos Aires elite, 1880-1910’, Jnl. Historical Sociology 6 (1993), 74-100
A.L. Potter, 'The Failure of Democracy in Argentina, 1916-1930: an institutional perspective', JLAS 13 (1981), 83-109
D. Rock, Politics in Argentina, 1890-1930
R. Walter, 'Politics, Parties and Elections in Argentina's Province of Buenos Aires, 1912-1942', HAHR 64 (1984), 707-736
R.J. Walter, Politics and Urban Growth in Buenos Aires, 1910-1942
E.A. Zimmerman, ‘Racial Ideas and Social Reform: Argentina, 1890-1916’, HAHR 72 (1992), 23-46
*J. Adelman (ed.), Essays in Argentine Labour History
J. Adelman, 'Socialism and Democracy in Argentina in the Age of the Second International', HAHR 72 (1992), 211-238
J.L. Horowitz, ‘Argentina’s Failed General Strike of 1921: a critical moment in the Radicals’ relationship with the unions’, HAHR 75 (1995), 57-80
R.P. Korzeniewicz, 'Labor Unrest in Argentina, 1887-1907', LARR 24: 3 (1989), 71-98
R. Munck, 'Cycles of Class Struggle and the Making of the Working Class in Argentina, 1890-1920', JLAS 19 (1987), 19-39
R. Munck, ‘Mutual Benefit Societies in Argentina: workers, nationality, social security, and trade unionism’, JLAS 30 (1998), 573-590
R. Thompson, 'The Limitations of Ideology in the Early Argentine Labour Movement: anarchism in the trade unions, 1890-1920', JLAS 16 (1984), 81-99