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Populism Around the World pp 9–26Cite as

Populism in Argentina

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Abstract

Argentina has been an example par excellence for populism. The most important populist movement is Peronism with the Peronist party Partido Justicialista. Since its foundation in 1945 by Juan Perón, Peronists governed 35 out of 73 years as presidents, achieved between at least 30 and more than 60% of votes in presidential and parliamentary elections, and governed many provinces and cities throughout the country.

In variations, Peronism has shown characteristics of populism over time such as personalism, anti-institutionalism, anti-elitist or antiestablishment views, clientelist redistribution, popular support and political mobilization, and an amorphous, eclectic ideology. Programmatic flexibility became visible especially with regard to different economic turns: Peronism was developmentalist and nationalist under Perón, neoliberal under neo-populist Menem, and developmentalist and nationalist again under the left-wing governments of the Kirchners.

The social base of Peronism is found among the poor, bound by two central linkage mechanisms: clientelist redistribution to supporters and identity politics, which have created a special Peronist working-class political culture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Rostock, Institute of Administrative and Political Sciences, Rostock, Germany

    Wolfgang Muno

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  1. School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Daniel Stockemer

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Muno, W. (2019). Populism in Argentina. In: Stockemer, D. (eds) Populism Around the World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96758-5_2

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