JUAN PERON (The Argentine

Dictator)BY: Stephen Reading

& Karan Patel

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

Analyze the methods used by a totalitarian regime to

maintain power.

NARRATIVE

Of

Leader

Early Life of Peron

• Born in Argentina in 1895• Abandoned by his father during his youth• Entered in the military academy at 16• Was through and through a military man

Peron Forms Ideology

• Visited Germany and Italy– Admired their nationalistic ideas and military focus

• Preferred Mussolini over Hitler• Became member of group of united officers,

which sought to bring the nationalism of Italy and Germany to Argentina

Political Career

• Military revolution of group of united officers• In 1945, arrested during military during

another coup but freed during the efforts of Eva Duarte and some union leaders.

• Married Eva Duarte; gave him political sway with the poor which allowed him to win next presidential election

Political Career

• Reformed working and social conditions and allowed women to vote which gave him unmatched political power with the labor unions

• Evita dies; economic crises arise from Peron’s reforms

• Attempts to maintain power through dictoral measures

• These measures angered many people in the labor unions, which led to coups by the military

Exile and later life

• Peron exiled after successful coup for 18 years• In his absence, the economic crisis in Argentina

became worse and unions lost power• A movement to bring Peron back rose in Argentina;

came back in 1973 and won the presidency• Attempted to fix economic problems but made

them worse• Died in 1974; his wife took control of the govt. and

was taken out by military coup in 1976

Historical Context

• Economic Boom Post WWI• Politically run by small oligarchy• Powerful labor movement• Argentina destabilized by WWII• The war split the country politically• Military was key piece to political power, but military

became too powerful and took the power themselves• After military did their coups, they took power and

became successful factions

Historical Context

• Argentina in political trouble for staying neutral• Argentine Presidents came to office either

through coup d'états or frauds in elections• After Great Depression, there was a need to

overcome the country’s economic vulnerability• Economic independence was strengthened

after World War II

The Elimination of Opposition

• Peron did not need to oppress the opposition due to his popularity with the people

• However, he still purged 70% of university professors and replaced Supreme Court justices to maintain control of media

• 1949- Redrafting of the constitution- allowed re-elected Congress to repress opposition

ANALYSIS

Of

Question

PERON’S RISE TO POWER

Long-Term FactorsVs.

Short-Term Factors

Long-Term Factors

• Problems: – Lack of genuine democracy– Widespread corruption– Middle class voices not heard– Intellectuals felt politically frustrated, since they

couldn’t voice their ideas against fraud & nepotism

– Working class lacked organization to fight against the system

Short-Term Factors

• Problems: 1. Argentina and World War II

When WWII broke out in 1939, Argentina declared its neutrality in the conflict

USA put pressure on Argentine govt. to break up diplomatic relations with the Axis

Armed forces interfered in political life to prevent this from happening and to continue with their neutral position

Short-Term Factors

• Problems: 2. Military Secret Society – The GOU

Juan Peron, founding member, of the GOUClaimed to end corruption and fraud and restore the

Argentine constitutionBelieved that Argentina had to develop its national

industry and strengthen its defensesConsidered it better to introduce improvements in the

living and working conditions of employees

HOW ????????

• Peron’s social and economic policies that benefited Argentineans

• Eva Peron’s ability to gain support of women and urban workers

• BOTH ALLOWED PERON TO REMAIN IN POWER IN ARGENTINA

Peron Improves Argentina’s Economy

• Nationalized central bank, telephones, railroads, and other parts of economy

• Peron pays off national debt of Argentina• Five Year Plan – Industrialize the economy• Employment and wage increase• High tax revenue

Peron Improves Argentina’s Economy

• Second Five Year Plan – Focus on agriculture (exporting agricultural products to finance industrialization)

• IAPI (The Argentine Institution for the Promotion of Trade) – bought products at low prices, but sold exports at high prices– This would fund welfare projects and

industrialization

Peronism

• Justicialismo – doctrine that unites society • All industries had trade unions• Social security • Free education• Low-income housing• Workers had free medical care, recreation

centers, labor unions, 8-hour work days, and ability to make complaints to labor courts

Peronism

• Organization of labor vital for success of state in asserting workers’ rights

• Higher wages• System of collective bargaining• Greater levels of unionization• Better living conditions for working class and poor• Represented a meaning of citizenship, and it

challenged traditional forms of authority

Popularity of Evita, and her appeal to Argentineans

• Eva Peron Foundation – welfare projects• Female Peronist Party – Women Suffrage

(1947)• Women gain right to vote – gain support from

women• Had influence from urban workers, gaining

more support for her husband• Charms people

Works Cited• http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/state_and_revoluti

on/argentina3.htm• http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/languages/pwr/peronism.ht

m• http://ibhistory.wikidot.com/13• http://schoolworkhelper.net/juan-peron-policies-and-practice

s/• http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1950peronism2.html• "Peronism." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences.

Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 6. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 214-215. Gale World History In Context. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

• http://assets.pearsonglobalschools.com/asset_mgr/current/201219/HistoryASPStatesChapter2.pdf