Immigration and Institutional Change (Did Mass Immigration Cause Peronism in Argentina)
44 Pages Posted: 18 Mar 2021
Date Written: January 11, 2021
Abstract
This paper studies the relationship between mass immigration in Argentina and the rise of Juan D. Perón (the iconic Argentine populist leader) in the mid-20th century. We find no evidence suggesting that mass immigration to Argentina from 1876 through 1925 explains Peronism directly or indirectly, such as through a reaction to immigrants or their descendants. Instead, a weak institutional framework and domestic conditions independent of immigrants’ role in Argentine economics and society explain Peronism’s rise.
Keywords: immigration, institutions, institutional breaks, Peronism, Argentina
JEL Classification: N4, P3
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation