Evita stories -- Noam Chomsky on Juan Peron and Argentina

Below is a response I received from Noam Chomsky regarding Juan Peron's influence in Argentina. I share this response with the permission of Dr. Chomsky.

For more information about Dr. Chomsky, visit:
http://www.chomsky.info/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_chomsky

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Peron#Allegations_of_fascism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascist_%28epithet%29

[Response from Noam Chomsky below.]
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I'm no specialist on Argentina, but it doesn't seem to me that the Bush-Peron comparison is very helpful. Differences seem to me far more significant than similarities.

The term "fascist" has no very clear definition. Some of the best and most serious early work on fascism, like that of the fine Veblenite economist Robert Brady 60 years ago, pointed out that the regimes called "fascist" were just special variants of reactions all over the state capitalist world to similar economic/political problems and crises. The New Deal was called "fascist," with some justification. And there was great sympathy in the US and Britain for Italian Fascism, even the Nazi variant. That continued in many ways after the war. There's no sensible answer, in my opinion, to the question whether Peron was fascist. He shared some characteristics with regimes called "fascist," not others.

On whether Peron was helpful or harmful to Argentina, I doubt that even (sensible) specialists would hazard an answer. There are just too many dimensions.

On the reliance on the military to overthrow civilian regimes that get out of control, that's such characteristic US policy that there is a huge literature on it, both special cases and the general policies. Even right in the mainstream, like Cole Brasier and Stephen Rabe. I've written about it extensively (from a somewhat different point of view, however, and cited a great many sources). So of course have many others. Too many to try to list.

On Peron specifically, I'd suggest turning to the specialist literature.

Noam Chomsky

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Education

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