Argentina’s State Formation: 1862-1880 Era of Consolidation
Consolidation of the Argentine National State (1862-1880)
This period marked the consolidation of the National State’s authority in Argentina, with Bartolomé Mitre, Domingo F. Sarmiento, and Nicolás Avellaneda serving as presidents. The central government progressively assumed and concentrated many functions and powers previously exercised by the provinces. These presidents promoted the centralization of political authority through various actions, including:
- The formation of a national army, which guaranteed the State’s authority.
- The organization of a national revenue system and a nationwide tax collection apparatus.
- The centralization of the banking system and monetary issuance.
- The consolidation of a legal system through the development and enactment of civil, penal, and commercial codes, and the creation of the Supreme Court.
The State also encouraged foreign immigration and fostered the development of communications and transportation infrastructure. Furthermore, the National State began assuming functions previously held by the Church, notably through the establishment of civil registration of persons and civil marriage laws. To ensure compliance across society, national authorities sought to overcome resistance generated by the concentration of political power in certain sectors, employing a combination of violence and consensus-building efforts.
Resistance to the Central Government
Various social and political groups resisted and fought against the central government. In coastal and interior regions, this resistance manifested through uprisings led by federal leaders. These guerrillas, supported by the poorest segments of the provinces, demanded improvements in their dire economic and social conditions. Local craft production struggled to compete with foreign manufactured goods entering the port of Buenos Aires, being far removed from the international market. This situation led to a lack of jobs and widespread impoverishment.
In Buenos Aires, the central government confronted an independent sector that opposed the federalization of the city. Beyond internal conflicts, the federal government also participated in an international conflict and organized actions to halt the advance of indigenous groups on the frontier. The national army’s involvement in these conflicts further consolidated and refined its organization.
The Conquest of the Desert
Led by General Julio Argentino Roca, the ‘Conquest of the Desert’ campaign aimed to subjugate or displace the indigenous populations living between the existing frontier, the Río Negro, and Neuquén. The army employed new technologies, including repeating weapons and heavy artillery, which significantly enhanced its military capabilities. This conquest primarily benefited landowners from Buenos Aires, who gained control over vast new territories taken from indigenous peoples, which were then organized into large estates (latifundios).
Economic and Social Modernization
During this period, industrialized countries began to require increasing amounts of raw materials and foodstuffs. In response, the most powerful landowning groups began to restructure Argentina’s economy to align with the demands of industrial societies. Decisions made with this objective resulted in the formation of three key markets:
- Land Market: Composed of lands conquered from indigenous peoples and previously considered public land.
- Labor Market: Integrated native labor, compelling rural inhabitants (gauchos) to abandon their nomadic lifestyles, alongside the significant influx of immigrant labor.
- Capital Market: Formed by the inflow of foreign capital, primarily from England, initially as government loans and subsequently as direct investments.
This process established a new commodity-exporting economy for Argentina.