Populism Vargas and Peron

Definition of Populism Debate: which is more accurate Definition of Populism Debate: which is more accurate? Which fits Peron and/or Vargas more accurately? Traditional Definition Political Definition Expansionary economic policies Personalistic political leadership Heterogeneous social foundation Extension of social benefits ISI Political leaders who desire power and are willing to do what they need to do to grab it and hold on to it – (accounts for wishy-washy ideology and changing policies)

Rise to Power and Maintaining Power Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1929-1954 Built some public support among working classes as labor secretary, then was VP Won a basically free/fair election in 1946 Opposition (radicals/socialists) were weak Laboring classes frustrated by neo-liberal governments of the 1930s Peron’s charisma and personalism Debate: did he win because of his personality and political ability? Or because the opposition was so weak? Brazil’s loose federation of states dominated since 1891 by café-au-lait alliance between Sao Paulo (coffee producers) Minas Gerais (cattle producers) Minor states, including Rio Grande de Sul, form alliance against gov’t and nominate Vargas as candidate in 1929 elections Vargas loses, but political unrest causes military junta to install Vargas as pres in 1930

Economic Policies Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1929-1954 1946-1948 economic boom, declared economic independence Increased wages, decreased price of beef, supported worker strikes (at first) Nationalization of central bank, telephone, railways, docks IAPI (bought ag products at low prices, sold abroad at high prices) profits subsidized domestic industrialization and welfare programs ISI hurt rural areas After 1949 economic crisis – inflation, no industrial output, beef and wheat prices collapsed because of Marshall Plan rebuilding of Europe response was to freeze wages, turned to foreign investors 1930 middle of great depression 1930-1937 focused on centralization of government power, some industrialization, but coffee prices slumped causing economy to fail Estado Novo = response to the economic problems, started economic nationalism EN began ISI – industrialization a main focus State help mining, oil, steel, electricity, chemicals, motor vehicles and aircraft Used profit from agriculture to fund industry Regulated sale of coffee to make more profit Welcomed foreign capital and transnational firms 1941 – played US and Germany off one another, benefitted from selling to both, ultimately allied with the US in 1944 1950 – controlling debt and inflation compete with Vargas’s populist political platform – he can’t make the economic choices he needs to and the opposition grows

Social Policies Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1930-1954 Decalogue of Workers’ Rights in the Constitution of 1949 – wage increases, better working conditions, more rights to strike Eva Peron Foundation– gave workers (“shirtless ones”) welfare, better health care – only semi-governmental Justicialismo – loose ideology of Peronism, in favor of working class, workers’rights, social justice Gave women the right to vote in 1947 La Communidad Organizado extended state control over unions, schools, universities, employers’ organizations Shut down free press, jailed opposition Empowered industrialists, entrepeneurs, middle class, organized working class through state trade unions Workers’ rights – 8 hour work day, paid holidays, employment security, right to strike, minimum wage, health and safety Estado Novo – curtailed civil liberties, outlawed political parties Sindicatos – state-run labor unions that were supposed to provide base of political support and workers’ rights, but no one really joined them National Economic Council – organization of workers unions and employers where all trade disputes were supposed to be worked out Sindicato policies discouraged women from working

Political Policies Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1930-1954 New constitution of 1949, increased state control, created direct elections (i.e., no electoral college type bureaucracy) Used authoritarianism Political base continued to be the workers – “shirtless” Nationalist policies Immediately replaced regional governors with own “interventors” to consolidate federal power 1932 Sao Paulo rebellion crushed 1934 New constitution with more federal gov’t power, Vargas elected as President Integralists (fascists) and ALN (communists/socialists) fight for power in new gov’t ALN crushed by Vargas in 1937 Vargas suspends constitution because he can’t be elected any more and creates Estada Novo – dictatorship, offers Integralist Salgado a position, Salgado refuses and Vargas crushes the Greenshirts 1945 Vargas leaves office to his minion Duarta Elected a Senator from Rio Grande de Sul 1950 Elected President again

Treatment of Opposition Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1930-1954 Maintained election, opposition was allowed to exist, 30% on average in elections Control of dissidents varied – depending on how well things were going Jailed opposition when needed to Outlawed dissident newspapers Crushed ALN and Integralists Outlawed political parties in the Estada Novo Jailed opposition

Successes Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1930-1954 Mystical control over the masses, influence lasted while he was in exile Workers’ rights Made unions stronger Woman suffrage Initial economic successes Welfare and public health programs Some industrialization EN had initial economic success Some industrialization Created stronger federal government

Failures Peron 1946-1975 Vargas 1930-1954 Economy after 1949 went down – rampant inflation, increased foreign debt, trade imbalance ISI hurt rural areas, damaged production of wheat and beef Political and economic instability left years of governmental changes Urban workers actually saw an overall reduction in income Never really gained the popularity of the masses –was relatively popular, but nothing like Peron Could not resolve the tension between his populist rhetoric and failed populist economic policies Didn’t have a real ideology ISI hurt rural areas, damaged coffee and cattle production State-run trade-unions didn’t work (no one joined them) Political and economic instability left years of governmental changes

Sample Thesis Statements (this works for #8 or #5 –though they are slightly different questions) In examining the administrations of Juan Peron in Argentina and Getulio Vargas in Brazil, one can see that short-term successes in economic policy led to long-term economic problems, social policies provided benefits to the working class and authoritarian political regimes created long-term instability.

Sample Thesis Statements #7 Take this one out – I need to give you more information on this. Which I will do!

Sample Thesis Statements #10 (cross out the either – you need to do both) Define populism in introduction (see powerpoint – expanding the economy, increasing welfare state, industrializing, charismatic leaders) Peron and Vargas can both be considered as having pursued populist policies because of their expansionist economic plans, which resulted in economic instability in both countries; their appeal to the working classes, which was more successful for Peron than for Vargas; and their introduction of the welfare state, which resulted in better rights for workers, but fewer civil liberties.