Ch.8 - Peron, Populism and the United States

The focus of this brief will encompass the post World War 2 effects of populism in Latin America. Populism is a political theory that appeals to the general people, which include the middle and lower classes, typically against any type of elite figure. Moreover, the concept of populism is geared more towards the interests of the people in regards to mental stability, meaning that the government must address any hopes and possible fears. For many of the Latin American countries, populism was the backbone of their success. This claim is justified by the sense of nationalism expounded by individuals in central and South America. Why do we care about populism? Because without populism, people may lose the faith required to survive and establish an identity among other nations. We will discuss a time period where “Juan Perón” reigned over Buenos Aires, Argentina. During this time, Perón advanced the nation in various ways, two of which were establishing a political party and also a pursuit of societal change. As a step outside the boundary, we will also briefly compare and contrast various aspects of Latin American history with that of the United States.

A few important changes will include the creation of the Populist Party as a political contender, battling left and right wing prominence. The Populist party, or Perónist party, could be thought of today as a third party. During Peron’s affiliation with politics, he managed to reach out to the public in more efficient and effective ways. The radio was a fantastic means of expressing ideas that hit all target audiences in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The populist notion appeals to the working class, middle and lower, so this was an effective way to reach them.Because of the newly attained technological advance, Perón was able to achieve mass political importance with populism. More people came out to vote and continued to vote because of Perón. A few voting changes also granted women with the opportunity to vote and also, the reduction of literacy type tests required to vote.

In the United States, we can also see slow changes occurring that include the reduction of literacy tests, as seen through court case precedent. The U.S was earlier in granting suffrage to women in 1920, as well as the age for an individuals to vote. However, in the U.S, the main concern was battling communism and radical individuals.

To summarize these points, it is important to grasp the fact that these changes were slow, but they still had to happen. If not for Perón and the populist perspective, there may have still been oppression against women in regards to voting. I think that in our growing society, it is important to distinguish the characteristics that define us, in other words, that nationalism is key to identifying oneself. We discussed traits from Argentina and the United States and how both countries have come to address the pressing socials issues. The rights of all the people should be prioritized in any country and society.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/452378/Juan-Peron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populism