Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 The components of Argentine society, 1890–1914
- 2 The oligarchy and institutional reform, 1880–1916
- 3 The rise of Radicalism, 1891–1916
- 4 The workers and their politics in Buenos Aires, 1890–1916
- 5 The first Radical government, 1916–22
- 6 The strikes, 1916–18
- 7 The Semana Trágica
- 8 1919
- 9 Postscript to the first presidency, 1920–2
- 10 The Alvear interlude, 1922–8
- 11 Yrigoyen's second presidency, 1928–30
- 12 Perspectives
- APPENDIXES
- 1 The occupational and class structure of the male population of the city of Buenos Aires by nationality, 1914
- 2 The rise of Radicalism – an historiographical note
- 3 The first Radical government and the Argentine Rural Society
- 4 The working class vote for the Radical and yrigoyenista parties in selected areas of Buenos Aires, 1912–30
- Select bibliography
- Index
3 - The rise of Radicalism, 1891–1916
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 The components of Argentine society, 1890–1914
- 2 The oligarchy and institutional reform, 1880–1916
- 3 The rise of Radicalism, 1891–1916
- 4 The workers and their politics in Buenos Aires, 1890–1916
- 5 The first Radical government, 1916–22
- 6 The strikes, 1916–18
- 7 The Semana Trágica
- 8 1919
- 9 Postscript to the first presidency, 1920–2
- 10 The Alvear interlude, 1922–8
- 11 Yrigoyen's second presidency, 1928–30
- 12 Perspectives
- APPENDIXES
- 1 The occupational and class structure of the male population of the city of Buenos Aires by nationality, 1914
- 2 The rise of Radicalism – an historiographical note
- 3 The first Radical government and the Argentine Rural Society
- 4 The working class vote for the Radical and yrigoyenista parties in selected areas of Buenos Aires, 1912–30
- Select bibliography
- Index
Summary
The Unión Cívica Radical, the Radical Party, played a key role in pressuring the conservative elite into reform measures in 1912. Four years later, when the party won control of the presidency, a different era began in Argentina politics. Radicalism was the first major national political party in Argentina and among the earliest of the Latin American populist movements. Its central importance stemmed from its role as an agent of political integration, pursuing the broad objectives established by the reformers of 1912. In view of its later relationship with the urban middle class, it is important to see, however, that the party began in the 1890s as a minority splinter group from within the elite. Only later, after the turn of the century, did it develop its populist features when it evolved into a coalition movement between the elite sector and important segments of the middle classes. In the twenty-five years between 1891 and 1916 there were four major stages in the party's development: 1891–6, 1896–1905, 1905–12 and 1912–16. Its growth may be traced during these different periods from a number of separate perspectives: the party's composition and the extent of its popular support, and secondly its organisational features and regional connections.
The origins of Radicalism
During the first period up to 1896, the party was led by Leandro N. Alem. This coincided with the rebellions of the 1890s when a succession of attempts were made to overthrow the national government.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Politics in Argentina, 1890–1930The Rise and Fall of Radicalism, pp. 41 - 66Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1975