(1880-1916)

The consolidation of the National State during the last two decades of the 19th century enabled the strengthening of the governmental apparatus through the creation of institutions and laws that ensured the formation of a modern Army and the development of communications. Furthermore, the integration of Argentina into the global market as an exporter of meat and cereals favored economic growth.

Politically, a restricted ruling group became consolidated, bound together through endogamous ties. This was a period of dominance of the National Autonomist Party (PAN) and of Julio Argentino Roca, both as leader and elector.

This reality interacted, at times in a conflictive manner, with a sociocultural fabric reshaped by the arrival of large immigrant waves and the strong presence of an opposing political press. This, combined with the economic and political crisis of 1890, destabilized the limited political apparatus and led to the subsequent creation of the Radical Civic Union.

This period, marked by great political and institutional instability, resulted in new leaderships figures such as Carlos Pellegrini, José Figueroa Alcorta, and Roque Sáenz Peña. Even though they initiated a process of political opening (which culminated in the enactment of the law of universal, secret and compulsory suffrage in 1912) and brought about the end to the conservative order and the victory of radicalism, these leaders did not propose a substantial change in the ideological framework.

In economic terms, the country was once again favoured by an increase in exports and imports, which helped stabilize the currency and attracted foreign investment.

From a social perspective, there was a marked increase of street protests by workers and students, as well as strong criticism from the written press. Conflicts and uprisings throughout the country pitted legislative and social sectors against provincial governments. This situation led to the crisis of the conservative regime and the victory of radicalism.

Assault on a president

On May 10, 1886, president Julio Argentino Roca was assaulted while walking from the Government House to the National Congress -then located at the corner of Balcarce and Victoria Streets, now Hipólito Yrigoyen Street-. He was on his way to deliver the opening speech for the ordinary sessions, when a stone struck his forehead, causing a deep wound.
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Political and Economic Crisis of 1890

In 1890, Argentina was struck by an unprecedented economic crisis, characterized by large external debt followed by an increase in public spending, which ultimately destabilized the economy due to speculation and lack of fiscal support. The financial crisis led to a deep recession, unemployment, and social discontent, which added to the interparty political tension within the National Autonomist Party (PAN) between juaristas and roquistas, as well as the further consolidation of the opposition organized in the Civic Union, and growing public dissatisfaction with President Miguel Juárez Celman’s administration, whose leadership style was criticized for its concentration of power.

As a result, on July 26, 1890, the so-called Revolution of the Park broke out, led by a faction of the Civic Union who aimed to overthrow Juárez Celman. Even though the uprising was contained, the tension it generated led to the President’s resignation and marked a turning point in Argentine politics.

Suffrage reform and political opening

The Sáenz Peña Law, enacted in 1912, was not an isolated event; rather, it can be explained as part of a reformist current that emerged in the late 19th century.

Reformism was an ideological movement that advocated for political openness in a context of limited representation. Moreover, it brought together a dissident sector of the ruling class and the National Autonomist Party (PAN). Carlos Pellegrini, José Figueroa Alcorta, and Roque Sáenz Peña were among its main proponents .

Other reform attempts can be included in this process, such as the 1902 reform, which established single-member districts and minority representation. Although this reform was repealed three years later, and emerged in the heat of an expanding society, it can be interpreted as a preliminary step that reached its culmination in the implementation of universal, secret, and compulsory suffrage.

Artistic movement. 1880/1910.

Art was also an important component in the construction of the image of a modern nation, as it sought to present itself during the celebration of the Centennial of the May Revolution. Among the various artistic movements, the “Generation of the ‘80s” stood out; it was formed by artists influenced by European academicism and realism. Painters such as Ernesto de la Cárcova and Eduardo Sívori depicted social and genre scenes (costumbrismo) that aligned with the ideals of progress and civilization. Their work was fundamental to the Centennial celebrations of 1910, which promoted an official art that exalted history, labor, and national identity. Through monuments and exhibitions, they contributed to consolidating a visual narrative of the country in harmony with the government’s project. Furthermore, between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, institutions were established to promote a larger autonomy in the artistic field, such as the creation of the National Fine Arts Museum in 1895, under the direction of Eduardo Schiaffino, an artist of the Generation of the ‘80s, as well as an art critic and historian of Argentine art.