This study will provide a critique of the book Juan Peron and the Reshaping of Argentina, edited by Frederick C. Turner and Jose Enrique Miguens.
The book is composed of ten essays, plus an epilogue by Turner and a chronology of Peron's career. The essays by Peter Smith, Manuel Mora y Araujo, and Wayne Smith study the historical factors of Peron's career, including his ascension to the Presidency, his fall from power and exile, and his return to power. Antonio Donini examines the relationship of the church in Argentina and politics in that country. Editor Turner contributes an essay on the conflicts between the major elite groups in the country. Roberto Guimaraes examines the impact of terrorism. Jose Miguens, along with editing the book, offers an essay on the 1973 elections and the role of ideology therein, while Gary Wynia and Juan D'Abate examine the role of labor and the workers in the same election. Marysa Navarro studies the role of Peron's wife Eva in the changing political/social agenda in Argentina. Turner's epilogue summarizes Peron's career and its impact on the development of the nation of Argentina in the modern era.
The various authors represent an array of cultural and political perspectives, the editors point out, but "it is clear that a continuity does indeed run through them. While they are frequently critical of particular policies or orientations of Peron and his followers, the authors are strongly convinced of the importance of Peronism, not only within the history of Argentina but also for the light the movement can shed on social processes and political decisions in other parts of the world as well" (p. xi).
The bulk of the essayists call for a more serious and in-depth analysis and appreciation of Peron's career and impact. For example, Turner writes that "Juan Peron was far more than the most important leader of Argentina in the twentieth century. In many ways, he was a prototypical figu...