We explain what the generation of 80 and its characteristics was. In addition, the main events and what is the Saenz Peña law.
What was the generation of 80?
THE GENERATION OF 80 It was an elite of political leaders of the Argentine Republic that ruled between 1880 and 1916also known as the Conservative Republic or Oligarchic Republic. During this time a new economic stage began based on agro -export, the country was inserted into the world market and was the peak of the wealthy and landowner class.
It was only in 1920 that the literary created the name of “Generation of 80” to identify the ruling class that continued the period of “historical presidencies.” The group of intellectuals and writers of that time that sympathized with political leaders were also called the 80s.
The 80th generation group was made up of a minority of society, also called oligarchy that means “the power of a few”, and was the one that gave rise to modern Argentina. The leading group preferred to be called an aristocracy, which means “government of the best” and that refers to those who are better equipped and trained, that is, the wealthiest.
Although the terms oligarchy and aristocracy have derogatory meanings, the leaders of the 80th generation have achieved a positive impact on Argentina regarding the situation that the country was going through in 1880.
The leader elite Its objective was to modernize the country to direct the economy and Argentine society, in a social context of transformation due to the numerous European immigrations and an increasingly popular society with anarchist ideas.
Among the objectives were: the project of The construction of state institutions, innovation for industrial production and public education. However, the priority conservative feature of the leaders consisted of maintaining only the traditional elitist classes in power.
THE GENERATION OF 80 ruled for more than three decades, under the name of the National Autonomist (PAN), until the Sáenz Peña Law of 1912, granted the right to universal suffrage to all men over 18 years of the nation through the secret and mandatory vote. Before this law, only men who had reached university studies could vote and came from a wealthy social class.
See also: Generation of 98
Historical context of the 80th generation
The 80 generation was formed in a context in which The Argentine political system was in the process of restoration after repeated acts of corruption and electoral fraud.
On October 12, 1880, Roca was the winner of the elections. Roca was a military man who stood out for directing and concluding an extensive set of bloody military expeditions that formed the call conquest of the desert, which began in 1833 with Juan Manuel de Rosas and ended in 1885 with rock. In that military conquest, all the indigenous people who crossed their way were annihilated.
Due to the great slaughter of indigenous Roca, he used as a strategy the motto “peace and organization” that helped him succeed, along with the collaboration of the elite that formed the generation of 80, in the 1880 elections.
This political action It was possible due to corruption and lack of universalization of suffrage Because all citizens could not vote, only men who had reached university studies and belonging to a wealthy social class.
Characteristics of the Generation of 80
The 80th generation was characterized by:
- The power over the earth. The leading oligarchy conquered, especially through military expeditions, vast territories of the country.
- Colonization Through the Desert campaign the State, which was in the hands of an elite, invaded territories, submitted slaves and murdered the vast majority of indigenous people.
- Society was transformed. Various changes in the population led to a transformation process, such as immigration and popular revolutions inspired by ideologies and anarchist movements in Europe.
- Social control laws. The government imposed certain laws, such as Residence Law of 1902 that prevented the entry of immigrants and The Social Defense Law of 1910 that prevented the entry of those convicted of common crimes or who had anarchist ideas. The objective of these laws was to prevent, in the Argentine population, the socialist manifestations that were taking place in Europe.
- The agro -export model. The economy was based on the production of raw materials to supply the demand for foreign markets, in addition to providing the domestic market. The majority of production came from the field, so the stagnant were strengthened.
Cultural Development of the Generation of 80
During the generation of 80 There was an important cultural development in the city of Buenos Airesthe Federal Capital of the Nation, through the inauguration of theaters, cinemas, bookstores and magazines, among others.
The cultural advance was accompanied by the increase in power of the ruling class and landowners due to the strong agro -export economy.
The 80 generation enjoyed A very active social life, with parties, trips and exitswhich were typical of the elite.
The 80th generation and immigrants
Immigrants They had a crucial role for the economic model of the 80th generation because they were considered cheap laborespecially, in the field and its agro -export model.
After the desert campaign, thousands of aborigines were captured and enslaved. However, the leaders also considered the exploitation of European immigrants because They could transmit to Argentines the knowledge acquired during the first industrial revolution (1750 – 1840).
However, The arrival of immigrants with socialist and anarchist ideas generated strikes For claims of improvements in working conditions. In spite of the 1907 restriction laws, the National Labor Department was created that promoted the sanction of the first social laws, still insufficient, but that allowed to give way to the following law Sáenz Peña of 1912.
Law Sáenz Peña
Sáenz Peña law was sanctioned in 1912 and allowed the universal, secret and mandatory vote for all men over 18 years old of the Argentine territory. It arose to social pressure due to labor improvements and for the greater participation of the people in the election of the leaders.
The law It was implemented in the 1916 elections which was elected Hipólito Yrigoyenwhich belonged to the Radical Civic Union Party (UCR) the main opponent of the conservative party called the National Autonomist Party (PAN).
Sáenz Peña Law under No. 8871 allowed the first presidential elections and It meant the openness to a democratic Argentinaprocess that was blocked with the military coup of 1930.
Continue with: Liberating Revolution
References:
- “The Argentine Generation of 1880” in Mospace
- “Reinventing The Nation” in Brown
- “Chapter III: Generation of 80” (Video) in Geography History
- “The generation of 80” in the historian
- “The inadmissible made history” in social UBA
- “The Sáenz Peña law and the fragile transition to democratic Argentina” in Conicet
