100 years ago, Argentina was one of the richest, most successful countries in the world. Even as recently as the early 1960s, its GDP per capita was higher than that of Japan, Italy, Spain or Austria.
What went wrong? Never-ending shambolic governance, never in the common good.
- Developed
- Underdeveloped
- Japan
- Argentina
I left the UK in 2012. When a Uruguayan here asked me why, I answered: "Because we're turning into Argentina".
What did I mean by that?
2. Corporatism everywhere.
3. Nationalism. I left 4 years before Brexit won - but the referendum outcome (and especially how it was conducted) did not surprise me at all.
4. Failing institutions
When did Britain last have a good government? I view Blair's as a decent one overall (not many do though!) Before that, heaven only knows. Wilson's? It included a devaluation, lest we forget. Macmillan's?
Argentina has a disastrous modern history of protectionism. Will Britain do the same?
Will Britain, seeking to break international law, do the same?
Pie in the sky. Unicorns. Bread and circuses. Half the country pitted against the other half. And we think we're still a First World nation? Really?
On the edge of the world.
On the other side of the Atlantic, its media and people woke up just in time. Ours are still fast asleep. Lemmings merrily toppling over the cliff to their doom.
More from History
Rush Catalog
Emotion Detector (1985, Power Windows)
https://t.co/3U3Ol6tMHU
#RushFamily
@RushFamTourneys
What's your grade of this song?
https://t.co/3U3Ol6Lo6u
Lyrics:
When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel
Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts
It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool
Emotion Detector (1985, Power Windows)
https://t.co/3U3Ol6tMHU
#RushFamily
@RushFamTourneys
What's your grade of this song?
https://t.co/3U3Ol6Lo6u
Lyrics:
When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel
Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts
It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool