Cycles of civil-military relations in Argentina. A framework for analysis

JORGE BATTAGLINO

Documentos de Trabajo

Universidad de Belgrano

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2005 p. 1 - 20

The principal goal of this work is to outline a model that accounts for the causes and the dynamics of the civil-military coalitions that precede successful military interventions in Argentina. To this end, I will combine economic, political and military variables to account not only for the conditions associated with the most recent pattern of military subordination to civilian authorities (1983 to 1999), but also for civil-military relations from state-formation to the democratic transition in 1983. Hence, I will analyse and compare three cycles. The first, from 1862 to 1930, represents an earlier cycle of civilian supremacy and lack of successful military interventions, during which the country experienced an era of military subordination to civilian authorities. All the civilian regimes completed their terms in office. The second, from 1930 to 1983, was characterised by the predominance of military interventionism. Between 1930 and 1983, Argentine history was characterised by the recurrence of military interventions. Civilian forces considered the military to be a political  faction, and all political actors accepted the military’s participation in politics. The armed forces ruled the country for many years and exerted significant influence on successive civilian regimes. This military participation was incremental, not only at the level of the military control of the state, but also in the arbitrariness of their successive governments. In this sense, the last military regime (1976-1983) was the most militarised and violent in Argentine history. Moreover, democracy during periods of civilian rule was far from consolidated; fraud and political persecution were normal practices during those years. The manifest effect of this particular situation was a high degree of conflict among the principal political, economic and social forces. Finally, the last period, from 1983 to 1999 (during the presidencies of Raul Alfonsín, 1983-1989, and Carlos Menem, 1989-1999), was again characterised by the prevalence of civilian regimes and by the lack of successful military interventions. Currently, Argentine democracy is considered a consolidated regime in the sense that political and economic actors routinely choose to pursue their objectives through democratic means.