The Economist on Milei
Some much it doesn't say
The Economist has Javier Milei on the cover this week, an interview with him, and an editorial. It’s pretty much what you’d expect; very much in favour, shame about the skyrocketing poverty, not to worry though, things will improve soon. And instead of “mentally ill, hears voices” it goes with “eccentric” and “volatile”.
It praises him for reducing inflation but there’s no mention of the fact that while the previous government was mainly responsible for the runaway price rises of 2023, Milei played his part too. Constantly on television, he warned of an imminent hyperinflation apocalypse if he wasn’t elected. The relevant actors in the economy took note and jacked up their prices some more, to be on the safe side.
The teenage scribblers positively salivate when they write of Milei’s cutbacks to state bodies. One of the casualties is INTA, the national agricultural research agency. It’s to be replaced by a joint venture of private sector organizations, most likely transnational agribusiness giants. Goodbye to a scientific research ecology built up over decades in an area fundamental to Argentina’s economy and hello to a thinly disguised advertising agency for Monsanto and the rest, and a likely exodus of highly qualified researchers to Europe.
No one would dispute that there are state agencies which do little if anything useful but Milei seems especially interested in attacking those concerned with the production of knowledge that might threaten the platitudes to which he’s so attached.
There’s no mention of the fact that he wants major legal and constitutional changes that would extend and deepen his hold on power, at the expense of the provinces and the national legislature. He supposedly despises the state but is showing signs of wanting to continue to run it for the foreseeable future and beyond. If you believe the “destroying the state from within” line, well, best of luck to you but I wouldn’t recommend moving to Argentina if you believe everything people tell you.
No mention of his relentless attacks on the media, “criminals with microphones” is one of the politer terms he has used.
No mention of his obsessions with gay people and gay sex. I’d say homophobia but it’s not quite that, there’s a mixture of repulsion and fascination in his remarks in this area.
No mention, possibly because of no understanding, that Milei was elected with a lot of peronista votes and that he has peronistas in his government. Werthein, his new Foreign Minister is one example; a passionate admirer of his current boss, he was just as keen previously on Cristina Fernádez de Kirchner. If he stays active in politics he’ll be an equally passionate admirer of whoever comes next if Milei fails to inaugurate a new regime. That’s how it goes with peronismo, you get on whatever ideological bus happens to be passing and looks likely to take the greatest number of fellow peronistas with it.
It’s even questionable the extent to which those peronistas that are not openly with Milei constitute an opposition as that term would be understood in most democracies. Yesterday Mileista deputies helped kill a bill that would have stopped Cristina Fernández de Kirchner – notionally Milei’s worst enemy - from running for office again. And they both seem very keen to ascend Ariel Lijo, a judge famed for a level of corruption high even by Argentine standards, to the Supreme Court. One thing is bitter verbal clashes, another is quietly working together for common ends.
Despite a passing reference to failed economic reforms in the past, the key thing The Economist doesn’t mention is that we have been here before and several times; a period of euphoria when a great leader shows the way with initially impressive results before it all comes undone and a few years later it all falls apart and we’re back where we started.
Néstor Kirchner was the man at the beginning of the 2000s, and a decade earlier it was Menem. The generals presided over a period of “sweet money” (for some) at the end of the 1970s, they were followed by Alfonsín whose government began with the highest hopes, although it fulfilled some on the human rights front it too ended in economic chaos
I see no reason to think that we won’t end up there again with Milei.
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Hate to prod you with the begging bowl again but I’d really appreciate a few more paid subscriptions. I know that this is a niche enterprise but I think there must be more people out there interested in it and with the means to pay the very modest subscription. It’s a lot cheaper than The Economist.