The trajectory of the Argentine piqueteros movement after the Argentinazo

An example of eroding social capital

Seminar Paper , 2012 , 25 Pages , Grade: 8,5

Romance Studies - Latin American Studies

Ten years ago, unemployed workers movements blocking main roads in Buenos Aires became together with the middle classes’ cacerolazos the face and main forms of protest of the Argentine crisis in 2001/2002. Between the middle of the 1990s and 2001, these unemployed workers movements, the piqueteros, managed to position themselves in the center of attention of politics, media and society. At the peak moment of the crisis, the movement seemed to be unstoppable, who had a crucial impact on bringing down de La Rúa’s as well as Duhalde’s government, made efforts to coordinate different movements in the Asamblea Nacional Piquetera and was invited for talks by Nestór Kirchner as soon as he assumed presidency in 2003.
In spite of the enormous potential of the piqueteros at that point of time, the importance and support of the movement have widely diminished over the last decade − even though their original concerns, Argentina’s inequality, poverty and unemployed rates, still remain. The piqueteros’ most visible heritage, the road block, has replaced conventional strikes and is now not only used by unemployed workers movements, but by all kind of movements. It has become part of the country’s everyday life and converted Argentina into a “piquetero nation”.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Research focus and questions
• Methodology and focus groups
• Theoretical Framework
• The concept of social capital
• Different types of social capital
• The emergence of the piqueteros
• The beginnings of the movement
• The economic crisis of 2001
• A catalyst for the piqueteros
• The fragmentation of the movement
• The Kirchner era: A paradigm shift
• A new official strategy
• Implications of the new assistantialist policies on the piqueteros
• Consequences for the social capital of the piqueteros
• Adaptation of the moderate piqueteros
• The radical block of the piqueteros
• The rise of the consenso antipiquetero
• Reactions to changes and the current state of piqueteros movements
• The Coordinadora de trabajadores desocupados (CTD) Aníbal Verón
• The Federación de Tierra, Vivienda y Habitat (FTV)
• The Unión de Trabajadores Desocupados (UTD) General Mosconi

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to analyze the trajectory of the Argentine piqueteros movement after the Argentinazo in 2001, focusing on the impact of the Kirchner government's policies on the movement's social capital. The paper examines the movement's successes and failures in generating social capital and its potential for future success.

• The emergence and evolution of the piqueteros movement in Argentina
• The role of social capital in the success and sustainability of social movements
• The impact of government policies on the piqueteros movement and its social capital
• The relationship between the piqueteros movement and Argentina's democracy
• The potential for future success of the piqueteros movement

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction presents the piqueteros movement as a significant force during the Argentine crisis of 2001/2002 and explores its impact on the political landscape. It raises questions about the movement's trajectory, its strategies, and its future perspectives. The paper then delves into the concept of social capital and its different forms, emphasizing its potential for both individual and collective benefit. It explores the various ways in which social capital can be generated within an organization and its relationship to the broader context in which the organization operates. The chapter concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding the evolution of social capital within the piqueteros movement as a key factor in assessing its future prospects.

The second chapter examines the emergence of the piqueteros movement, tracing its origins and evolution. It discusses the role of the economic crisis of 2001 in fueling the movement's growth and the fragmentation it experienced in the aftermath. The chapter then explores the impact of the Kirchner era on the piqueteros, highlighting the new official strategy and its implications for the movement's social capital. Finally, it discusses the consequences for the social capital of the piqueteros, examining the adaptation of the moderate piqueteros, the radical block of the piqueteros, and the rise of the "consenso antipiquetero."

The third chapter focuses on the reactions to changes and the current state of piqueteros movements. It examines three of the largest and most influential groups of piqueteros: the Coordinadora de trabajadores desocupados (CTD) Aníbal Verón, the Federación de Tierra, Vivienda y Habitat (FTV), and the Unión de Trabajadores Desocupados (UTD) General Mosconi. This chapter highlights the strategies and tactics used by each group to achieve their goals and discusses the challenges they face in navigating the political landscape.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper examines the evolution of the piqueteros movement in Argentina, its social capital, and its impact on Argentine democracy. The key concepts explored include: social capital, bonding, bridging, and linking social capital, social movements, poverty, inequality, unemployment, assistantialist policies, the Argentinazo, and the Kirchner era.

• College: VU University Amsterdam (CEDLA)
• Grade: 8,5
• Author: Neele Meyer (Author)
• Publication Year: 2012
• Pages: 25
• Catalog Number: V214905
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656430803
• Language: English
• Tags: Argentina, Argentinien, Social movements, Soziale Bewegungen, Social capital, piqueteros