The financial crisis of 1929 had repercussions around the world. In Argentina, the level of meat and wheat exports to the United Kingdom market fell significantly. At the same time, imports of manufactures decreased.
As a reaction to this situation, the Argentine government promoted a new industrial plan and launched a model of state intervention in the economy.
The reindustrialization plan triggered a process of migration throughout the national territory. The economic benefits in the industry were not accompanied by an improvement in the working conditions of the workers.
Between 1930 and 1943 different military and civil governments succeeded one another
The economic crisis and social tension were the factors that caused General José Félix Uriburu's coup d'état that overthrew President Hipólito Yrigoyen. From this moment on, a stage characterized by political persecution of opponents, corruption, authoritarianism and electoral fraud began.
Some senators denounced different cases of tax evasion and all kinds of irregularities
After the fall of Wall Street in 1929, the British promoted international trade with members of the Commonwealth and to the detriment of Argentina. To avoid economic disaster, Foreign Minister Julio Argentino Roca and Business Manager Walter Runciman renegotiated the conditions for the export of Argentine meat to Great Britain. The new regulatory framework signed in 1933 is known as the Roca-Runciman Treaty, which brought significant advantages to British interests in Argentina (the nation's public services and infrastructure were controlled by British companies).
In 1935 a murder was committed in the House of Representatives (Senator Enzo Bordabehere of the Progressive Democratic Party was assassinated in the back by a former commissioner during a parliamentary debate).
During the Infamous Decade, different parliamentary commissions were activated to investigate the different illicit pacts between politicians and businessmen.
In 1943 a Military Junta overthrew President Castillo. Colonel Juan Domingo Perón was appointed Chief of the Army General Staff. With this episode a new era began in Argentina. Peronism, also called justicialism, was the main political movement between 1946 and 2015.
Photo: Fotolia - Lefteris Papaulakis
