Re: Re: Fw: After the Fall: Argentine Crisis and Possible Repercussions

[Alan Cibils <abcibils@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well, in the case of Argentina, I think it is quite clear when it stopped
developing: March 24, 1976. That was the date of the military coup that
introduced neoliberalism for good into the country
(it is also not a coincidence that this was the bloodiest coup in the
country's history, as people on this list are well aware). This isn't just
rhetoric either. The absolute lack of  government development policies,
coupled with indiscriminate opening of goods and capital markets, has
resulted in de-industrialization and job loss. Of course, the latest
chapter of de-development (which hopefully ended last week) started in
April 1991 with the implementation of the convertibility law.

David Felix's article is very interesting and generally acurate, but I
think he leaves out a key component: Cavallo and de la Rua were overthrown
by a massive, spontaneous popular uprising. I am not sure at this point
what the US and IMF response will be, but I am quite certain that more such
protests are in store if neoliberalism comes back. People on the street
have a pretty good understanding of what "ajuste" (adjustment) means, and
there isn't much patience for those policies any more. IT is true that the
uprising was not organized, and that most of those who participated do not
belong to any political organization. This makes future uprisings hard to
predict, since there is no convoking group or coalition. However, my sense
from talking to people on the street is that "we have had enough, we will
not tolerate more". Another "cacerolazo" (protest where pots and pans are
banged) is entirely possible if the preception becomes that changes aren't
for real.

Alan


At 09:26 PM 12/26/2001 -0800, you wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "michael pugliese" <debsian@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> It would also increase opposition within
> > the IMF
> > directorate to U.S. dominance of IMF policy toward the developing
> >
> > countries,
>
> ===========
> Just when do countries stop developing? Didn't Arturo Escobar write
> something about the uselessness of development discourse?
>
> Ian


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