New economic history of Argentina

Abstract

Argentina presents a distinctive economic puzzle: a nation characterized by rich endowments and favorable institutional and demographic conditions that achieved rapid convergence toward developed-world status during the brief Belle Époque around 1913. However, the subsequent history has been defined by sustained economic stagnation, marked by chronic inflation, repeated sovereign defaults, and financial instability, culminating in recurrent severe crises. Understanding this profound reversal of fortune requires adopting a long-run historical perspective that moves beyond short-term policy analysis. This body of research examines the Argentine development record through modern analytical and quantitative frameworks, utilizing economic history to expose the historical dimensions of the stagnation and identify the underlying factors responsible for the sustained economic divergence observed since the early twentieth century. – AI-generated abstract.