Poster Child or Victim of Imperialist Globalization? Explaining Argentina's December 2001 Political Crisis and Economic Collapse

Abstract

Leddy for their valuable comments and helpful suggestions. He also thanks Maria Schueneman and Agueda Gonzales for library assistance.

International Forest Policy by International and Transnational Organizations

“…At the end of the 1980s, the newly elected President Menem designated the former VicePresident of Bunge & Born (the largest multinational firm in Argentina, specialized in food processing and grain and oilseed trade) as Finance Minister, as soon as he took office 1 (Carranza 2005). This designation was one out of many ways of showing his intent to implement the neoliberal reforms demanded by international and domestic actors (Carranza 2005;).…”

“…This designation was one out of many ways of showing his intent to implement the neoliberal reforms demanded by international and domestic actors (Carranza 2005;). These reforms were carried out under the Convertibility Plan, which aimed to end hyperinflation and promote growth in Argentina.…”

“…These reforms were carried out under the Convertibility Plan, which aimed to end hyperinflation and promote growth in Argentina. In 1991, following the neoliberal discourse, the Deregulation Decree (Table 1) was signed, turning the political economy toward a neoliberal policy, tied to an agro-export policy 2 (Carranza 2005;Leguizamón 2013). This decree aimed to promote trade by ending protective regulation of the domestic economy, dismantling all bureaucracies that were in charge of these activities and simplifying the tax system (Leguizamón 2013).…”

“…During the authoritarian regime that ended in 1983 in Argentina, the foreign debt multiplied sevenfold, increasing the importance of international creditors as political actors in the country (Carranza 2005). By the end of the 1980s, Argentina was in the middle of a severe economic crisis triggered by hyperinflation, when most of the powerful international banks in the country provoked a run on the local currency (Carranza 2005).…”

“…By the end of the 1980s, Argentina was in the middle of a severe economic crisis triggered by hyperinflation, when most of the powerful international banks in the country provoked a run on the local currency (Carranza 2005). As a solution to this crisis, the neoliberal economic reforms demanded by international and domestic actors were applied (Carranza 2005;), leading to a new agro-export policy. As in other Latin American countries, the World Bank played an important role in these reforms, increasing its presence and influence after the crisis ).…”