Out of Humous: Argentinian politics

A fascinating subject. I've conducted a study based on late-night bar discussions with friends, chats with taxi drivers and a total avoidance of the media. As in earlier, somewhat more classic studies of politics, I've outlined my insights in the form of a dialogue:

Me: Why were the stores closed today?

Friend: It was Workers' Day. Didn't you see the demonstrations?

Me: I did. Why were the stores closed? I couldn't get groceries.

Friend: Well, it was Workers' Day.

Me: So?

Friend: So people don't work.

Me: On Workers' Day?

Friend: Right.

Me: So what does it have to do with work or workers?

Friend: shrugs.

Short silence ensues.

Me: And what was the demonstration all about? What did they want?

Friend: It was a political demonstration of power.

Me: So they just came to show up?

Friend: No, of course not. They have demands.

Me: Like what?

Friend: Well, they want to increase public spending.

Me: At the expense of what?

Friend: That they don't say, but it can only be either deficit or taxes, right?

Me: Well, it might make little sense to me as a stranger, but there were quite a lot of people at the rally.

Friend: They had to come.

Me: Why? I thought no one had to work.

Friend: I may have exaggerated a little. Party members are an exception.

Me: Yes, but they came of their own free will. It's their day off, right?

Friend: Not quite. The party pays small benefits to members. Those who really need it, mainly poor people from the country - they have to come.

Me: So they're bribed to come?

Friend: You can play name calling if you want. The payments are allocated by the state to the parties, which in turn can distribute them.

Me: I think I'm starting to see where it is going.

Friend: In your country, the unions do not hold rallies?

Me: Even if they do, not many people are likely to participate. They have cost hundreds of thousand their pensions and used funds to support their clergy and bureaucracy.

Friend: So the unions are not strong in Israel?

Me: On the contrary. They have a firm grip on the utilities and essential services, so they can force the entire public to pay high prices for utilities.

Friend: Yes, that sounds familiar. Did your government do anything about it?

Me: If they try the unions can close the ports the airports and as a result employees would be sent home.

Friend: Here we do not need to unions to do that. The government does it by itself.

Me: A preventive shut-down?

Friend: No. It has to do with tofu.

Me: Tofu?

Friend: Yes. The consumption of Soy increased worldwide, so the Argentinean farmers responded. They started to export soy.

Me: So far so good.

Friend: But that was at the expense of less profitable crops, like corn.

Me: So you started buying cheaper corn...

Friend: Actually no. The government closed the port to stop the soy export and make the farmers produce corn again.

Me: That makes no sense. If everyone produces corn there will be a glut and everyone will lose.

Friend: Right. The farmers got that too. So they stopped raising crops altogether and started trading the corn stocks that they stockpiled. However, due to the closure of the seaport we lost long time contracts for other products.

Me: This is ridiculous.

Friend: Think so? How about this: in the south there are minerals and diamonds. The mining is done by private companies which do not exactly share their income with the public treasury. On the other hand, we subsidise transport in the southern ports, so our tax money pays for the free mining of our treasures.

Me: Who's in power here?

Friend: The National Front for Victory.

Me: Are they trying to change things?

Friend: No. They master the system. They put on their list to the parliament well known leaders from the local government, and thereby use their local ties and mechanisms. After they are elected they have to resign in favour of the president's men, and in return they get to keep their positions in the local government. 

Before the elections they hand out people a shoe and a note to vote with. After the elections they give the second shoe.

Me: Isn't it criminal?

Friend: It is, but most of the parties do that, so no one does anything. The people are happy too, because they believe that it is the most they can get out of the politicians. Sometimes they even give away mattresses.

Me: That's terrible. What kind of party is the ruling party?

Friend: It is a Peronist party.

Me: And who is on the opposition?

Friend: The Peronist parties.

Me: What? It doesn't make sense. What is Peronism all about anyway?

Friend: Many things.
Me: So it's about nothing.

Friend: Pretty much, but not quite. It is a little different then the familiar political division. Peronism was marked by the creation of a national unity of cause and identity.

Me: So it is about unity?

Friend: Yes. It's just that every second politician thinks it should be under him.

Me: How many Peronist parties are there, then?

Friend: About thirty.

Me: And they all are in favour of unity.

Friend: Exactly. That is what makes them Peronists.

Me: How many non-Peronist parties are there, then?

Friend: About ten.

Me: Which, for example.

Friend: Well, there is the radical party, for
instance.

Me: What radical ideas do they have?

Friend: None, actually. They are rather conservative.

Me: None of it makes sense. This is an educated, beautiful and rich country.

Friend: We even export oil.

Me: So how come nothing seem to work here properly.

Friend: Oh, things work, but differently. If I want to issue a passport, it would take me about four months. If I want to issue an I.D. it would last close to a year. However, before the election you can get a new I.D. in about two weeks. You just need to know the system.