This looks more or less on the point, it’s from before the general elections of last sunday though.
I can only wish you and your country all the luck in the world, you need it badly. Whoever wins in the end will have to face opposition in Congress, neither Massa’s nor Milei’s party will have a majority there. Which is not bad news in case Milei ends up on top (Godott forbid!) but will be a PITA if Massa wins.
What I never understood is what Peronismo really is: does the term have any meaning? Is it just an empty word? Does it have anything in common with Perón’s policies, did he have a coherent political ideology at all? What would that be?
Peronism: It is very hard to understand, probably because, deep down, most Argentinians are Peronists, of one stripe or another. (Milei voters excepted, may be…).
For example I remember a conversation I had with a co-worker, of libertarian tendencies, we fought about the role of the state for hours and then I said something like “but what about education and healthcare?” and he answered “Well off course the state needs to guarantee free education and healthcare!”
Thus explaining Peronism is like explaining Argentina, something that we’ve been trying to do since 1816 without much success 
That said, there is both a coherent political ideology, documented in Peron’s books and a meaning, whether or not the meaning is the same as the documented ideology… rivers of ink (and occasionally blood) have run about that question.
My take on Peronism, the part of the elephant that I perceive, so to speak, is this:
The basic tenet of peronism (Justicialism) is that is not fair that some suffer and have less opportunities in life because of the socio-economic conditions of their birth and it’s the state duty to fix this unfairness.
So it’s not only a good idea to give say, toys, to poor children, it’s the state’s duty to give them toys, health, education, housing, etc.
The difference, imho, between Peronist and the left wing (Marxist, Trotskyist, etc.) ideologies is that Peronism doesn’t want to abandon capitalism and the free markets or fundamentally reform the system, it posits that a strong state can gradually improve the lower classes condition without a revolution.
Another part of Peronism is the search of “Economic Independence”, meaning industrialization of Argentina to stop being a raw material exporter and thus generating the resources needed for the first part of the program.
Peron himself was a willy politician, able to convince both quasi-fascists and the extreme left that he agreed with them and wanted the same things they did, I suspect that what he wanted was both the program I described above and power for himself no matter what (so the same as any politician).
Oh, dear! Sounds like a mess. Can you recommend a book that explains it?
My political awakening started around the time when Franco died with the evil of the dictatorships in Chile and Argentina, but Allende was always easier for me to understad ideologically than the Argentinian democratic oposition. It’s about time to fight that ignorance!
I’m not sure there is a book that can do that, but try this one:
Thanks, will give it a try.
My mom recommended that book and also says that to understand peronism you should see this video…
Oh. My. God! 
I am not sure I understand peronism or anything at all any better after that, but… WTF? 
Espáin is different. Argentina too, it seems, but on another level.
I always say that after the Dark Ages comes the Renaissance.
Yes, Argentina (and peronism) is not something you understand, is something you feel 
Unfortunately the book you recommended costs 388,00 € in amazon. Used. Just the first volume. Seems hard to get in Europe.
Must be really good! 
Will try other options.
My mom has the first volume and borrowed the second one, I read her first volume and got the second using… argentinian methods…
You used the One Ring to turn invisible then snatched it?
No, that would be wrong, using The Ring corrupts you, I pirated it from the internet
Good show!
And I wish you and your fellow Argentinians the best of luck in all of this.
Thanks! we are gonna need it.
If we, on top of having won the world cup, successfully avoid this maniac and somehow navigate the impending economic rapids ahead I’ll have to start believing the old adage “God is Argentinian”.
The Pope is Argentinian, Godott can’t be far away.
Though we had a German Pope too, and… aw, never mind.
Just saw this in twitter, may help with the whole Peronism thing…
It sounds sorta like Huey Long.
Thats close to the mark yes, I am an argentinian and thus genetically Peronist, but I won’t deny its failings.