Amancio Alcorta
Encyclopedia
Amancio Alcorta was an Argentine
legal theorist, conservative politician and diplomat.
, in 1842, and enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
, where he received a juris doctor
, in 1867. He was subsequently elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
on the Autonomist Party ticket, as a close ally of the new Governor of Buenos Aires Province
, Adolfo Alsina
. Permitted to hold multiple posts outside Congress, Alcorta was later appointed prosecutor
and judge
, as well as to the board of directors of the Buenos Aires Western Railway
. He served Governor Alsina as Minister of Government Policy, of Economy and as President of the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
. He was appointed Director of the National Buenos Aires College
(then the nation's most prominent secondary school) in 1872, and in 1873, presented his proposal for the reform of the national code of commerce, centering around maritime law.
Continuing to teach law at his alma mater, in 1878 he authored his Treatise on International Law
, a text which drew heavily on his study of measures against maritime piracy. His Studies on the Use of Scrip
in 1880, dealt with Argentine provinces' recurrent use of local currency
. Alcorta also authored texts on constitutional law
and regarding property rights, during the 1880s. He had left Congress in 1880, though he continued to actively support the Autonomists' successors, the National Autonomist Party
. Backed by the majority of Argentina's landowners, that party' leader (Julio Roca) was elected President of Argentina in 1880. Roca's successor, Miguel Juárez Celman, appointed Alcorta Minister of Foreign Relations during an institutional crisis in 1890; Alcorta was replaced following Juárez Celman's July 1890 resignation, however.
His January 1895 reappointment to the Foreign Ministry by President Luis Sáenz Peña
coincided with difficult negotiations with the Government of Chile
regarding the Andes
-range border shared by the two nations. His second turn at the Foreign Ministry was devoted to the resolution of the Puna de Atacama dispute
between the two nations, negotiations on which resulted in an 1898 treaty favorable to Argentina. Alcorta retired from the post in December 1899, having served three Presidents. A new diplomatic impasse led President Roca to reappoint the elder statesman to the post in April 1900. Alcorta died on May 5, 1902, at age 60 and three weeks before the signing of the May Pacts
between Chile and Argentina.
His personal law library, consisting of over 18,000 volumes, was donated to the National Library of Argentina.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
legal theorist, conservative politician and diplomat.
Life and times
Amancio Alcorta was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, in 1842, and enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, where he received a juris doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, in 1867. He was subsequently elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
on the Autonomist Party ticket, as a close ally of the new Governor of Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, Adolfo Alsina
Adolfo Alsina
Adolfo Alsina Maza was an Argentine lawyer and Unitarian politician, and one of the founders of the Partido Autonomista and the National Autonomist Party.-Biography:...
. Permitted to hold multiple posts outside Congress, Alcorta was later appointed prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, as well as to the board of directors of the Buenos Aires Western Railway
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
. He served Governor Alsina as Minister of Government Policy, of Economy and as President of the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
The Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires is a publicly-owned Argentine bank and the second-largest in the nation, by value of assets and deposits.-History:...
. He was appointed Director of the National Buenos Aires College
Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires
Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires is a public high school in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the tradition of the European gymnasium it provides a free education that includes classical languages such as Latin and Greek. The school is one of the most prestigious in Argentina...
(then the nation's most prominent secondary school) in 1872, and in 1873, presented his proposal for the reform of the national code of commerce, centering around maritime law.
Continuing to teach law at his alma mater, in 1878 he authored his Treatise on International Law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, a text which drew heavily on his study of measures against maritime piracy. His Studies on the Use of Scrip
Scrip
Scrip is an American term for any substitute for currency which is not legal tender and is often a form of credit. Scrips were created as company payment of employees and also as a means of payment in times where regular money is unavailable, such as remote coal towns, military bases, ships on long...
in 1880, dealt with Argentine provinces' recurrent use of local currency
Local currency
In economics, a local currency, in its common usage, is a currency not backed by a national government , and intended to trade only in a small area. As a tool of fiscal localism, local moneys can raise awareness of the state of the local economy, especially among those who may be unfamiliar or...
. Alcorta also authored texts on constitutional law
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
and regarding property rights, during the 1880s. He had left Congress in 1880, though he continued to actively support the Autonomists' successors, the National Autonomist Party
National Autonomist Party
The National Autonomist Party was an Argentine political party during the 1874-1916 period. Created on March 15, 1874 by the union of the Autonomist Party of Adolfo Alsina and the National Party of Nicolás Avellaneda...
. Backed by the majority of Argentina's landowners, that party' leader (Julio Roca) was elected President of Argentina in 1880. Roca's successor, Miguel Juárez Celman, appointed Alcorta Minister of Foreign Relations during an institutional crisis in 1890; Alcorta was replaced following Juárez Celman's July 1890 resignation, however.
His January 1895 reappointment to the Foreign Ministry by President Luis Sáenz Peña
Luis Sáenz Peña
Luis Sáenz Peña was a lawyer and President of Argentina.He graduated in law from the University of Buenos Aires, and participated in the constitutional assembly of 1860. He was a number of times a national deputy and senator. In 1882 he occupied a seat on the Supreme Court of the Province of...
coincided with difficult negotiations with the Government of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
regarding the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
-range border shared by the two nations. His second turn at the Foreign Ministry was devoted to the resolution of the Puna de Atacama dispute
Puna de Atacama dispute
The Puna de Atacama dispute was a border dispute involving Argentina, Chile and Bolivia in the 19th century over the arid high plateau of Puna de Atacama located about 4500 m.a.s.l...
between the two nations, negotiations on which resulted in an 1898 treaty favorable to Argentina. Alcorta retired from the post in December 1899, having served three Presidents. A new diplomatic impasse led President Roca to reappoint the elder statesman to the post in April 1900. Alcorta died on May 5, 1902, at age 60 and three weeks before the signing of the May Pacts
Pactos de Mayo
The Pactos de Mayo are four protocols signed in Santiago de Chile by Chile and Argentina on 28 May 1902 in order to extend their relations and resolve its territorial disputes. The disputes had led both countries to increase their military budgets and run an arms race in the 1890s.1. - Acta...
between Chile and Argentina.
His personal law library, consisting of over 18,000 volumes, was donated to the National Library of Argentina.