Federalism No Longer Serves Societies

This institution holds back development to further politicians’ interests.

Photo by Harold Mendoza on Unsplash

Argentina’s revolution for independence, and the process that would emancipate most of the continent from Spanish rule, began on May 25th, 1810. The provinces comprising the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata formally declared independence on July 9th, 1816.

But it took half a century and several battles to unite the entire country under one ruler and one Constitution. Why? Because of competing economic interests.

Because the powerful province of Buenos Aires, under the dictatorial rule of local caudillo Juan Manuel de Rosas, maintained the need for independence of the province and its riches.

So, in the 1860s and to accommodate states’ needs, the organization of the country became federal, meaning the provinces enjoy a certain level of independence. The Argentinian Congress is bicameral, with the Senate acting as the conservative force.

America is a federalist continent. Like the United States, most Latin American countries abide by this model, in large part because their constitutions used the US Constitution as a model.

And they largely see the same problems.