Argentina’s National State Formation and Socio-Political Evolution
Argentina’s Path to Nationhood
The formation of the national state was a convergent process between nation-building and establishing a system of domination. With the rise of agricultural exporters, landowners, and foreign trade, Buenos Aires became the socio-political center and capital of the nation. The dominance of Rosas and Buenos Aires province in 1848 sparked reaction from the coast. The north-central region, tied to the Potosi mines and Lima’s port, declined with the mines’ depletion and Spanish
Child Development in the School Years: Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Growth
Child Development in the School Years
Physical Development
During the school years, children experience a period of steady physical growth. This is a relatively calm period before the rapid growth spurt of adolescence. Body proportions change, with adjustments in head diameter, waist circumference, and lower leg length relative to overall height. Between the ages of 10 and 11, most children develop the physical skills necessary to participate in activities like tennis, running, climbing, swimming,
Read MoreSpanish Civil Law: A Historical and Contemporary Perspective
TMA 1: Civil Law
The Concept of Civil Law
The etymology of words permits us to know their true meaning. This is the case with Civil Law, which has been shaped over centuries.
Civil Law in Ancient Rome
Roman law is the basis of our law. The expression “Civil Law” (ius civile) could mean two things:
- Subjectively: The law of citizens (cives)
- Objectively: The law of the city (civitas)
Roman citizens held the privilege of a primary legal position. Ius civile was traditional and formal. Alongside it, other
Read MoreThe Essence of Ratio-Vitalism: Ortega y Gasset’s Philosophy of Life
The Essence of Ratio-Vitalism
Life as a Paradox
If life is defined by our choices, then it is a constant state of becoming. We project ourselves into the future, anticipating what we will be. This forward momentum makes us aware of our existence as temporal beings.
The Vital Reason as Historical Reason
Ortega y Gasset’s ratio-vitalism emphasizes the interconnectedness of reason and life. Human existence, he argues, can only be understood through the lens of reason. This creates a synthesis between
Read MoreClassical Economic Theories of Growth and Distribution
Ricardo
Production Function and Diminishing Returns
Ricardo’s production function, like Smith’s, acknowledges diminishing marginal productivity. This arises from the fixed supply and varying quality of land. As cultivation extends to less fertile land due to population growth, the same capital and labor yield smaller returns. The rate of this decline is influenced by the pace of innovation. While industry experiences increasing returns due to technological progress and economies of scale, agriculture’
Read MoreMedieval Innovations and Early Colonial Expansion (15th-18th Centuries)
Innovations in Agriculture, Crafts, and Trade During the Middle Ages (pp. 40-44)
Agricultural output growth resulted from technological change. Innovations from the Roman era and early Middle Ages continued into the twelfth century, creating an agricultural system encompassing energy, equipment, and cultivation organization. Key innovations included controlling animal energy and hydraulic systems through herding, water mills, and windmills. Iron tools improved versatility and efficiency. Cultivation
Read MoreEvolution of Western Aesthetics: From Ancient Greece to Modern Art
Beauty in Greece
Greeks sought the loss of subjectivity through drugs, believing thought and creativity flowed better. They pursued beauty based on natural reality but with a subjective, idealized vision reflecting the harmony of body and soul, equating beauty with goodness. There were two types of artists: poets, who used creative, elevated language, and artisans, considered mimetic but defective copies of reality. Greeks prioritized painting and the stage. They believed music didn’t imitate nature
Read MoreUnderstanding Economically Active, Inactive, and Employed Populations
Economically Active Population
A group of people of a certain age who are working or want to work in economic activities. According to the ILO definition:
- Group of people from a certain age (usually the age of completion of compulsory education, varying by country).
- At a certain age, working or seeking work (unemployed). It does not count people who have not sought employment.
- Engaged in economic activities, defined by national accounting plans for data homogenization (e.g., EUROSTAT in the EU). Economic
19th-Century Labor Movements and Economic Concepts
Luddites
British workers (1779-1802) who destroyed machines that threatened their jobs.
Historical Materialism
Marx’s theory: the economy drives history. Modes of production define eras: from primitive societies to capitalism (bourgeoisie vs. workers) and ultimately socialism (a classless society).
Class Struggle
History is a conflict between social groups. It ends with revolution and abolishing social differences. Workers fight for economic gains and against the bourgeois state.
Dictatorship of the Proletariat
Read MoreEvolution of the State: From Ancient Philosophy to Modern Democracy
Like Plato, Seeking Ethics in the State
Its purpose is to achieve the good life. For both, the state reflects natural inequalities of human life. Therefore, they propose policy solutions aristocratic.
Medieval Christian Thought
The medieval Christian Church, besides being a spiritual power, is also a political power. This dual responsibility creates a conflict that Christian philosophers should resolve.
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo justified the primacy of the Church over any other political
Read More