The Argentinian Parliament
Chapter 9: Call This a Democracy?
Group 5: Alma, Amanda, Cathrine, Nanna
Disposition
1. Short summary of the chapter
The British woman tells us about some interviews she has had with different Argentineans. The first one she talks to is Raquel. They talk about the macho men in Argentina and how the weather is wrong. Afterwards she meets with a military expert called Carlos to talk about the argentine army. She thinks he seems real nice but finds out in the middle of the conversation that he had been a member of The Dirty Wars and probably has tortured and killed people. She feels sick after her thoughts about him from her first impression. Later on she meet Guillermo, who is leaving for Chile after several years in Argentina. He tells that he will miss pizza, tango and Maradona and talks about how Mardona is like a god. Euginia doesn’t want her to talk about politics and Julia asks her how the manners are now a days. She says that the worst manners was the rise of the individual.
2. Account for the social conditions post military dictatorship as portrayed in the chapter.
The author moved to Buenos Aires 1993 and the book was written and published in the late nineties, when there was parliamentary democracy. In this chapter the author questions the quality of this democracy.
The military dictatorship (76-83) was followed by a period of political instability and lack of persecution of those in charge in the time of the dictatorship. A conversation on page 178 about the post-military conditions elaborates these historical facts.
'Exactely. And all the time, One-time torturers have been recycled as security guards or bully-boys. Old habits die hard. They're the guys making the death-threats.'
'The corruption in this country is shameless,' cried Julia.
A notion is presented on page 179 that Argentina will remain unstable and paranoid as long as it remains uninformed.
'We won't be a mature country until we face up to the Dirty War', one commentator.
Later on page 179 the author presents reflections on the fatal consequences of compulsory military service through out the political history of Argentina. She states, that because of military intervention discord between the people and the regime has had awful consequences. Dictatorships though out world history have walked hand in hand with military services violating human rights.
The ending of compulsory military service was perhaps the most important step in breaking the fatal dichotomy of dictatorship and rebellion that had dogged Argentina throughout its history.
All in all the atmosphere in Argentina at this time is portrayed as being very tense, filled with paranoia, unsettlement and fear that history will repeat itself.
76-83: Military dictatorship
After: Instability and lack of persecution
1984-89: Parliamentary democracy
3. Account for the experience the author has meeting an influential military character from The Dirty War and The Falkland War.
The author meets this nice and proper man who has been through a lot - he even cries a bit when he talks about his old governesses. He sometimes mixes English words into his sentences to prove how well his very beloved governesses thought him. Allin all the author finds him goodhearted and appealing, until he starts talking about his "difficult jobs" for the military. She soon realizes that he was an "ex-repressor" which means this goodnatured man with the nice hugs killed and tortured people. And he doesn't even regret it. He tells funny anecdotes about how sad it was to have to kill the guerillas because they were argentines too. He thinks that it was wrong to apologize for all the hurt and pain the military regime has cost the people of Argentina. She figures that something must have broken in him since he talks so lightly of all the people he tortured and killed. Like he lost his humanity. The author even has to go to the bathroom to gather herself so she can endure the rest of the meeting with this deeply disturbed man. He talks about how it comforts him that Argentina never changes because they're born out of the same earth and the author says that she got the impression that he didn't want Argentina to change but it should stay exactly the way it is.
Group 5: Alma, Amanda, Cathrine, Nanna
Disposition
1. Short summary of the chapter
The British woman tells us about some interviews she has had with different Argentineans. The first one she talks to is Raquel. They talk about the macho men in Argentina and how the weather is wrong. Afterwards she meets with a military expert called Carlos to talk about the argentine army. She thinks he seems real nice but finds out in the middle of the conversation that he had been a member of The Dirty Wars and probably has tortured and killed people. She feels sick after her thoughts about him from her first impression. Later on she meet Guillermo, who is leaving for Chile after several years in Argentina. He tells that he will miss pizza, tango and Maradona and talks about how Mardona is like a god. Euginia doesn’t want her to talk about politics and Julia asks her how the manners are now a days. She says that the worst manners was the rise of the individual.
2. Account for the social conditions post military dictatorship as portrayed in the chapter.
The author moved to Buenos Aires 1993 and the book was written and published in the late nineties, when there was parliamentary democracy. In this chapter the author questions the quality of this democracy.
The military dictatorship (76-83) was followed by a period of political instability and lack of persecution of those in charge in the time of the dictatorship. A conversation on page 178 about the post-military conditions elaborates these historical facts.
'Exactely. And all the time, One-time torturers have been recycled as security guards or bully-boys. Old habits die hard. They're the guys making the death-threats.'
'The corruption in this country is shameless,' cried Julia.
A notion is presented on page 179 that Argentina will remain unstable and paranoid as long as it remains uninformed.
'We won't be a mature country until we face up to the Dirty War', one commentator.
Later on page 179 the author presents reflections on the fatal consequences of compulsory military service through out the political history of Argentina. She states, that because of military intervention discord between the people and the regime has had awful consequences. Dictatorships though out world history have walked hand in hand with military services violating human rights.
The ending of compulsory military service was perhaps the most important step in breaking the fatal dichotomy of dictatorship and rebellion that had dogged Argentina throughout its history.
All in all the atmosphere in Argentina at this time is portrayed as being very tense, filled with paranoia, unsettlement and fear that history will repeat itself.
76-83: Military dictatorship
After: Instability and lack of persecution
1984-89: Parliamentary democracy
3. Account for the experience the author has meeting an influential military character from The Dirty War and The Falkland War.
The author meets this nice and proper man who has been through a lot - he even cries a bit when he talks about his old governesses. He sometimes mixes English words into his sentences to prove how well his very beloved governesses thought him. Allin all the author finds him goodhearted and appealing, until he starts talking about his "difficult jobs" for the military. She soon realizes that he was an "ex-repressor" which means this goodnatured man with the nice hugs killed and tortured people. And he doesn't even regret it. He tells funny anecdotes about how sad it was to have to kill the guerillas because they were argentines too. He thinks that it was wrong to apologize for all the hurt and pain the military regime has cost the people of Argentina. She figures that something must have broken in him since he talks so lightly of all the people he tortured and killed. Like he lost his humanity. The author even has to go to the bathroom to gather herself so she can endure the rest of the meeting with this deeply disturbed man. He talks about how it comforts him that Argentina never changes because they're born out of the same earth and the author says that she got the impression that he didn't want Argentina to change but it should stay exactly the way it is.