Argentine legislative election, 1930
Encyclopedia
The Argentine legislative elections of 1930 were held on 2 March. Voters chose their legislators, and with a turnout of 75.1%, it produced the following results:
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Notes: a) included in "others" b) seats left vacant.
, as in much of the rest of the world, abruptly clouded Argentina's political, as well as economic, landscape. Hipólito Yrigoyen
, who was overwhelmingly returned to the Presidency in 1928, advanced a progressive agenda during his first year in office, establishing a Ministry of Health, securing trade pacts with the British Empire
that promoted import substitution industrialization, and increasing investments in education, the sciences, and the state oil concern, YPF.
This latter policy made his administration a target of Standard Oil
, which had growing interests in the country's energy sector. Yrigoyen's second term inherited considerable domestic opposition, as well, from his 1916 — 22 administration, when policy differences with the conservative wing of the UCR provoked his removal of 18 governors by decree. This opposition had never achieved unity, however, and were no match for Yrigoyen's popularity.
The collapse that followed the 1929 crash proved to be real challenge for Yrigoyen. Scorned by much of the media for his age and alleged senility, the president reacted quickly to the crisis. He loosened credit, moved to delay farm evictions, and intervened against massive capital flight
by rescinding the gold standard
in Argentina, thereby stymying the movement of gold overseas (around 200 million dollars' worth had been removed from local banks after the crash via this mechanism). These measures helped maintain the populist leader's base of support, as did possibly the December 24, 1929, attempt on his life, and only added to its opposition by the financial sector.
The results of the legislative elections, held on March 2, 1930, reflected some erosion in Yrigoyen's base, as the UCR
lost 19% off its 1928 landslide vote totals. Turnout
remained high, however, and the UCR added six seats to their already commanding majority in the Lower House. Winning in 10 of 14 districts renewing seats, the UCR lost in the City of Buenos Aires, where a schism in the Socialist Party resulted in victory for the more conservative group, the Independent Socialists. Right-wing opposition also won in Córdoba Province
, where Julio Roca's Democratic Party made gains.
Having lost at the ballot box, Yrigoyen's opponents in both domestic politics and foreign corporate boardrooms redoubled their efforts, marshaling news editorials, provincial legislatures and, ultimately, elements in the Argentine military against the aging leader. An August 9 resolution in the Lower House, signed by 44 conservatives, called for Yrigoyen's resignation, and following numerous clashes and acts of sabotage
, Generals José Félix Uriburu
and Agustín Justo took power in a September 6 coup d'état.
Argentine Chamber of DeputiesArgentine Chamber of DeputiesThe 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....
| Party/Electoral Alliance | Seats | Change | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical Civic Union Radical Civic Union The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina... (UCR) |
98 | 6 | 618,411 | 42.7% |
| Independent Socialist | 15 | 9 | 110,792 | 7.7% |
| Conservative | 12 | 2 | 153,826 | 10.6% |
| Democratic (Córdoba Province Córdoba Province (Argentina) Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca... ) |
7 | 1 | a | a |
| Unified UCR (Santa Fe Province Santa Fe Province The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero... ) |
4 | 7 | 53,221 | 3.7% |
| Liberal (Tucumán Province Tucumán Province Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and... ) |
4 | 2 | 39,543 | 2.7% |
| Democratic Progressive Democratic Progressive Party (Argentina) The Democratic Progressive Party is a provincial political party in Santa Fe, Argentina. It was founded by Lisandro de la Torre at the Savoy Hotel in Buenos Aires on December 14, 1914. One of its founders was the academic Dr... |
3 | 3 | 136,121 | 9.4% |
| Antipersonalist UCR | 3 | 2 | 47,891 | 3.3% |
| Autonomist Party of Corrientes Autonomist Party of Corrientes The Autonomist Party of Corrientes is a provincial political party in Argentina, Corrientes Province.... |
2 | 3 | 17,152 | 1.2% |
| Lencinist Carlos Washington Lencinas Carlos Washington Lencinas was an Argentine politician.-Life and times:Carlos Washington Lencinas was born in Rivadavia Department, Mendoza, in 1888, to Fidela Peacock and José Néstor Lencinas. The elder Lencinas was a Mendoza Province lawmaker known for his tempestuous political rights advocacy... UCR (Mendoza Province Mendoza Province The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is... ) |
1 | = | 19,375 | 1.3% |
| Socialist | 1 | 3 | 123,734 | 8.5% |
| Others | 4 | 127,601 | 8.6% | |
| Invalid votes | 4b | 39,868 | 2.7% | |
| Total | 158 | 1,487,535 | 100.0% |
Notes: a) included in "others" b) seats left vacant.
Background
The Wall Street Crash of 1929Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as the Great Crash, and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full extent and duration of its fallout...
, as in much of the rest of the world, abruptly clouded Argentina's political, as well as economic, landscape. Hipólito Yrigoyen
Hipólito Yrigoyen
Juan Hipólito del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Irigoyen Alem was twice President of Argentina . His activism became the prime impetus behind the obtainment of universal suffrage in Argentina in 1912...
, who was overwhelmingly returned to the Presidency in 1928, advanced a progressive agenda during his first year in office, establishing a Ministry of Health, securing trade pacts with the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
that promoted import substitution industrialization, and increasing investments in education, the sciences, and the state oil concern, YPF.
This latter policy made his administration a target of Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
, which had growing interests in the country's energy sector. Yrigoyen's second term inherited considerable domestic opposition, as well, from his 1916 — 22 administration, when policy differences with the conservative wing of the UCR provoked his removal of 18 governors by decree. This opposition had never achieved unity, however, and were no match for Yrigoyen's popularity.
The collapse that followed the 1929 crash proved to be real challenge for Yrigoyen. Scorned by much of the media for his age and alleged senility, the president reacted quickly to the crisis. He loosened credit, moved to delay farm evictions, and intervened against massive capital flight
Capital flight
Capital flight, in economics, occurs when assets and/or money rapidly flow out of a country, due to an economic event and that disturbs investors and causes them to lower their valuation of the assets in that country, or otherwise to lose confidence in its economic...
by rescinding the gold standard
Gold standard
The gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed mass of gold. There are distinct kinds of gold standard...
in Argentina, thereby stymying the movement of gold overseas (around 200 million dollars' worth had been removed from local banks after the crash via this mechanism). These measures helped maintain the populist leader's base of support, as did possibly the December 24, 1929, attempt on his life, and only added to its opposition by the financial sector.
The results of the legislative elections, held on March 2, 1930, reflected some erosion in Yrigoyen's base, as the UCR
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
lost 19% off its 1928 landslide vote totals. Turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
remained high, however, and the UCR added six seats to their already commanding majority in the Lower House. Winning in 10 of 14 districts renewing seats, the UCR lost in the City of Buenos Aires, where a schism in the Socialist Party resulted in victory for the more conservative group, the Independent Socialists. Right-wing opposition also won in Córdoba Province
Córdoba Province (Argentina)
Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
, where Julio Roca's Democratic Party made gains.
Having lost at the ballot box, Yrigoyen's opponents in both domestic politics and foreign corporate boardrooms redoubled their efforts, marshaling news editorials, provincial legislatures and, ultimately, elements in the Argentine military against the aging leader. An August 9 resolution in the Lower House, signed by 44 conservatives, called for Yrigoyen's resignation, and following numerous clashes and acts of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
, Generals José Félix Uriburu
José Félix Uriburu
General José Félix Benito Uriburu y Uriburu was the first de facto President of Argentina, achieved through a military coup, from September 6, 1930 to February 20, 1932.-Biography:...
and Agustín Justo took power in a September 6 coup d'état.