Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-sh8wx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-24T12:43:54.604Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Government Coalitions and the Viability of Currency Boards: Argentina under the Cavallo Plan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Pamela K. Starr*
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles

Extract

In April 1991, the Argentine government initiated the central component of yet another program to stabilize an economy still suffering from continuing bouts of rampant inflation. This effort, unlike its numerous predecessors, which had cut, but not defeated, high inflation, proved a rapid and stunning success. Designed and implemented under the guidance of the new Minister of Economy Domingo Cavallo, the “Cavallo Plan” cut the monthly rate of inflation from 11% (in March 1991) to only 1.3% in August and then to just 0.6% by December of that year. While consumer prices rose 172% in 1991, they increased only 4% in 1994 (see Table 1).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © University of Miami 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acuña, C. (1995a) “Algunas notas sobre los juegos, las gallinas, y la lógica política de los pactos constitucionales”, pp. 115150 in Carlos, Acuña (ed.) La Nueva Matriz Política Argentina. Buenos Aires, Argentina : Ediciones Nueva Visión.Google Scholar
Acuña, C. (1995b) “Business Interests, Dictatorship, and Democracy in Argentina”, pp. 348 in Ernest, Bartell and Leigh, Payne (eds.) Business and Democracy in Latin America. Pittsburgh, PA : University of Pittsburgh Press.Google Scholar
Acuña, C. (1994) “Politics and Economics in the Argentina of the Nineties (Or, Why the Future No Longer is What it Used to Be)”, pp. 3173 in William, C. Smith, Carlos, H. Acuña, and Eduardo, A. Gamarra (eds.) Democracy, Markets, and Structural Reform in Latin America. Coral Gables, FL : North-South Center.Google Scholar
Acuña, C. and Smith, W. C. (1995) “The Political Economy of Structural Adjustment: The Logic of Support and Opposition to Neoliberal Reform”, pp. 1766 in William, C. Smith, Carlos, H. Acuña, and Eduardo, A. Gamarra (eds.) Latin American Political Economy in the Age of Neoliberal Reform. Coral Gables, FL : North-South Center.Google Scholar
Acuña, C. and Smulovitz, C. (1995) “Militares en la transición argentina: del gobierno a la subordinación constitucional”, pp. 153202 in Carlos, Acuña (ed.) La Nueva Matriz Política Argentina. Buenos Aires, Argentina : Ediciones Nueva Visión.Google Scholar
Ades, A. (1995) Currency Boards and Its Implications for Argentina. New York, NY : Goldman Sachs.Google Scholar
Beckerman, P. (1995) “Central-Bank ‘Distress’ and Hyperinflation in Argentina, 1989–1990. Journal of Latin American Studies 27, 3 (October): 663–682.Google Scholar
Blackburn, K. and Christensen, M. (1989) “Monetary Policy and Policy Credibility: Theories and Evidence. Journal of Economic Literature 27 (March): 145.Google Scholar
Business Week (1995) “Putting the Peso on a Short Leash.” No. 3413 (27 February): 136.Google Scholar
(El) Cronista Comercial (1994) As summarized by the Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Nación. (14 November). [Online. Available gopher: http:gopher.recyt.net11infogralnoticro].Google Scholar
de laBalze, F. (1995) Remaking the Argentine Economy. New York, NY : Council on Foreign Relations.Google Scholar
Dornbusch, R. (1995) “Progress Report on Argentina”, pp. 223237 in Rüdiger, Dornbusch and Sebastian, Edwards (eds.) Reform, Recovery, and Growth: Latin America and the Middle East. Chicago, IL : University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
(The) Economist (1995) “Argentina: Back to Work”. (May 20): 42.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1996a) EIU Country Report No. 1: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1996b) EIU Country Report No. 2: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1996c) EIU Country Report No. 3: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1995a) EIU Country Report No. 3: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1995b) EIU Country Report No. 4: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1994) EIU Country Report No. 1: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1993) EIU Country Report No. 4: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1992) EIU Country Report No. 2: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
(The) Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (1990) EIU Country Report No. 3: Argentina. London, England : EIU Ltd.Google Scholar
Fanelli, J. M. and Machinea, J. L. (1995) “Capital Movements in Argentina”, pp. 145188 in Ricardo, Ffrench-Davis and Stephany, Griffith-Jones (eds.) Coping with Capital Surges: The Return of Finance to Latin America. Boulder, CO : Lynne Reinner.Google Scholar
Fieleke, N. S. (1992) “The Quest for Sound Money: Currency Boards to the Rescue?” New England Economic Review (November/December): 14–24.Google Scholar
Gerchunoff, P. and Machinea, J. L. (1995) “Un ensayo sobre la política económica después de la estabilización”, pp. 3992 in Pablo, Bustos (ed.) Mas Alla de la Estabilidad: Argentina en la Época de la Globalización y la Regionalización. Buenos Aires: Argentina : Fundación Friedrich Ebert.Google Scholar
Gibson, E. and Calvo, E. (1996) “Electoral Coalitions and Market Reforms: Evidence from Argentina. Department of Political Science, Northwestern University: unpublished manuscript.Google Scholar
Hanke, S. H. (1995) “Pegged out. Forbes 155, 2 (January 16): 199.Google Scholar
Hanke, S. H. and Schuler, K. (1993) “Currency Boards and Currency Convertibility. Cato Journal 12, 3 (Winter): 687–705.Google Scholar
Humpage, O. F. and McIntire, J. M. (1995) “An Introduction to Currency Boards. Economic Review (Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland) 31, 2: 2–11.Google Scholar
Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) (1994) Economic and Social Progress in Latin America, 1994 Report. Washington, DC : Interamerican Development Bank.Google Scholar
International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1996a) International Financial Statistics 49, 2: (February).Google Scholar
International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1996b) International Financial Statistics 49, 7 (July).Google Scholar
International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1995) International Financial Statistics 49, 7: (July).Google Scholar
International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1992) International Financial Statistics 45, 8: (August).Google Scholar
International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1988) International Financial Statistics 49, 7: (July).Google Scholar
James, D. (1988) Resistance and Integration. New York, NY : Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Jones, M. P. (1995) “Evaluating Argentina’s Presidential Democracy: 1983–1995. Paper presented at the Xix International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Washington, Dc, September 29–30.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1995a) “New Spending Cuts Announced. 12, 3 (March): 4.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1995b) “US $7 bn Rescue Package Agreed. 12, 4 (April): 4–5.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1995c) “IADB, World Bank, and Japanese Eximbank Loans Approved. 12, 6 (June): 4.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1995d) “Trade Surplus in First Five Months of 1995. 12, 8 (August): 5.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1995e) “Cavallo Resists Resignation Calls. 12, 9 (September): 3.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1995f) “Cavallo Strengthens Position. 12, 10 (October): 3.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1994a) “Menem Advances Re-election Bid. 11, 9 (September): 3.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1994b) “Menem on Course for Reelection. 11, 11 (November): 3.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1994c) “Menem Backs Cavallo Squeeze”. 11, 12 (December): 3.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1993) “Elections Loom, Reelection Fades. 10, 10 (October): 1205.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1992a) “IMF Targets Met. 9, 1 (January-February): 978.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1992b) “IMF Package for Argentina. 9, 4 (April): 1000.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1992c) “New Cost-cutting Package. 9, 11 (November): 1072–1074.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1992d) “Devaluation Rumours Boost Interest Rates. 9, 12 (December): 1085–1086.Google Scholar
Latin American Regional Reports: Southern Cone Report (LARR) (1991a) “Argentina Confident of Imf Stand-by.” Rs-91–06 (8 August): 4–5.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1991b) “Politics and Economy: More Tough Measures”. RS-91–07 (12 September): 2.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1990) “Argentina’s Peronists Facing a Split”. RS-90–07 (13 September): 4.Google Scholar
Latin American Weekly Report (LAWR) (1996) “Public Turns Away from Politicians.” Wr-96–03 (21 January): 34.Google Scholar
Liviatan, N. (1993) Proceedings of a Conference on Currency Substitution and Currency Boards, (World Bank Discussion Papers). Washington, DC : The World Bank.Google Scholar
Manzetti, L. (199394) “The Political Economy of Mercosur. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 35, 4 (Winter): 101–141.Google Scholar
Latin America Monitor: Southern Cone Report (LAM) (1993) Institutions, Parties, and Coalitions in Argentine Politics. Pittsburgh, PA : University of Pittsburgh Press.Google Scholar
Mcguire, J. W. (forthcoming) Peronism Without Perón: Unions, Parties, and Democracy in Argentina. Stanford, CA : Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Mcguire, J. W. (1996) “Free-Market Reform and Labor Quiescence in Menem’s Argentina, 1989–1995”, pp. 357366 in Paula, B. Voos (ed.) Proceedings of the Forty-Eighth Annual Meeting. Madison, WI : Industrial Relations Research Association.Google Scholar
Mcguire, J. W. (1995) “Political Parties and Democracy in Argentina”, pp. 200246 in Scott, Mainwaring and Timothy, R. Scully (eds.) Building Democratic Institutions: Party Systems in Latin America. Stanford, CA : Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Mcguire, J. W. (1993) “Perón y los sindicatos: La lucha por el liderazgo Peronista”, pp. 171217 in Samuel, Amaral and Mariano, Ben Plotkin (eds.) Perón: del exilio al poder. San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires : Editorial Cantaro.Google Scholar
Meltzer, A. H. (1993) “The Benefits and Costs of Currency Boards. Cato Journal 12, 3 (Winter): 707–710.Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1996a) “Aumento el desempleo.” 245 (24–30 June). Universidad de Buenos Aires. [Online. Available: http:gopher.uba.a or http:www-informatik.uni-muenchen.derecargentina].Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1996b) “Se redujo el superávit comercial. 249 (3–11 August).Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1996c) “Prosigue la discusión del paquete económico. 252 (27 August-1 September).Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1996d) “Paro y medio: Quinto paro general al gobierno de Menem 256 (23 September-2 October).Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1995a) “Problemas en la economía. 199 (5–11 June).Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1995b) “La interna permanente. 212 (11–17 September).Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1995c) “Viaje de Cavallo. 213 (18–24 September).Google Scholar
Microseminarios (1990) No title. 2 (12–18 November).Google Scholar
Murillo, M. V. (1995) “Los sindicatos frente a la reforma del estado en argentina y méxico. Paper presented at the Xix International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association; Washington, (Dc); 29–30 September.Google Scholar
Murillo, M. V. (1994) “Union Response to Economic Reform in Argentina. Paper presented at the Xviii International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association; Atlanta, (Ga); 10–12 March.Google Scholar
Murmis, M. and Portantiero, J. C. (1987) Estudios Sobre los Orígenes del Peronismo. Buenos Aires, Argentina : Siglo Veintiuno Editores.Google Scholar
(La) Nación (1990) “Satisfacción oficial por la ruptura ubaldista” (15 November): 4.Google Scholar
(The) New York Times (1996) “Argentine Unions Threaten Strike on Labor Law Changes” (7 October): a-11.Google Scholar
Norden, D. L. (1996) Military in Rebellion in Argentina. Lincoln, NE : University of Nebraska Press.Google Scholar
Norden, D. L. (1990) “Democratic Consolidation and Military Professionalism: Argentina in the 1980s. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 32, 3 (Fall): 151–176.Google Scholar
Osband, K. and Villanueva, D. (1993) “Independent Currency Authorities: an Analytic Primer. IMF Staff Papers 40, 1 (March): 202–216.Google Scholar
Pessino, C. (1996) “La anatomía del desempleo. Desarrollo Económico 36 (Summer): 223262.Google Scholar
Pion-Berlin, D. (1991) “Between Confrontation and Accommodation: Military and Government Policy in Democratic Argentina. Journal of Latin American Studies 23, 3 (October): 543–571.Google Scholar
Ranis, P. (1992) Argentine Workers: Peronism and Contemporary Class Consciousness. Pittsburgh, PA : University of Pittsburgh Press.Google Scholar
República Argentina (1995) Economic Report. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Ministerio de Economía y Obras y Servicios Públicos, Secretaria de Programación Económica.Google Scholar
Rodrik, D. (1994) “The Rush to Free Trade in the Developing World: Why So Late? Why Now? Will it Last?” pp. 6188 in Stephan, Haggard and Steven, B. Webb (eds.) Voting for Reform: Democracy, Political Liberalization, and Economic Adjustment. New York, NY : Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rubio, D. F. and Goretti, M. (1996) “Cuando el presidente gobierna solo: Menem y los decretos de necesidad y urgencia hasta la reforma constitucional (julio 1989-agosto 1994). Desarrollo Económico 141 (April-June): 443–474.Google Scholar
Sarlo, B. (1994) “Argentina under Menem: the Aesthetics of Domination. NACLA Report on the Americas 28, 2 (September-October): 33–37.Google Scholar
Smith, W. C. (1991) “State, Market and Neoliberalism in Post-Transition Argentina: the Menem Experiment. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 33, 4 (Winter): 45–82.Google Scholar
Smith, W. C. (1989) Authoritarianism and the Crisis of the Argentine Political Economy. Stanford : Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Torre, J. C. (1988) La Formación del Sindicalismo Peronista. Buenos Aires, Argentina : Editorial Legasa.Google Scholar
Welch, J. and McLeod, D. (1993) “The Costs and Benefits of Fixed Dollar Exchange Rates in Latin America. Economic Review (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas) 1: 3144.Google Scholar
Williamson, J. (1995) What Role for Currency Boards. Washington, DC : Institute for International Economics.Google Scholar
Wynia, G. W. (1978) Argentina in the Postwar Era. Albuquerque, NM : University of New México Press.Google Scholar
Zagorski, P. W. (1994) “Civil-Military Relations and Argentine Democracy: the Armed Forces under the Menem Government. Armed Forces and Society 20, 3 (Spring): 423–437.Google Scholar