Argentina's Golden Age

Argentina's "Golden Age" is associated with the name of Juan Domingo Peron, when with 10% of the population, Argentina provided 25% of Latin America's industrial production and exports, and the State Bank vault was filled to capacity with gold. Peron did not offer the Argentines communism, fascism or capitalism, but justicialism (“the path of justice”). A brilliant speaker and demagogue, he declared himself a defender of the disadvantaged.

Juan Domingo Peron was president of Argentina from 1946 to 1955 and from 1973 to 1974. In September 1955, he was overthrown as a result of a military mutiny, emigrated to Spain, and returned to power in 1973, winning the presidential election. Died in 1974.

Peron nationalized part of the railway network and telephone companies, the credit and banking system, and foreign trade. Adopted the Code of Workers' Rights, providing for broad social protection of workers, created a University for workers, and equalized women's civil rights with men. In 1949, he initiated the adoption of a new constitution, which actually legitimized the regime of his personal power.

After Peron's death in 1976, a military junta led by General Jorge Rafael Videla came to power in the country. This period was called the “Dirty War”. The military carried out a campaign of repression against political opponents, resulting in thousands of people being kidnapped, tortured or killed. In 1983, faced with growing public opposition following Argentina's defeat in the Falklands War against Great Britain, she was forced to relinquish power.