(1932-1946)

The period spanning the 1930s, known as the “Infamous Decade”, was one of unrest and uncertainty. The institutional crisis brought about by the military coup of 1930 created a new political landscape. Although electoral participation was restored in 1932, it was characterized by the so-called electoral fraud, controlled by those who sought to remain in office.

Politically, power became concentrated in the presidential figure, while the military was divided in factions holding very different views on how authority should be exercised: some favoured the return to institutional normality, whereas others advocated for a more authoritarian regime. Economically, the world was enduring the aftermath of the Great Depression and World War II. In an effort to preserve its main export market, Argentina signed the Roca-Runciman Treaty with Great Britain, a decision that was met with criticism by different sections. Socially, inequality was profound. While the elites gathered in exclusive banquets and private clubs to maintain their networks and privileges, a large part of society felt that politics were becoming increasingly disconnected from their real needs.