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Is it fair to say that the romance and sensuality of much of Argentine culture (e.g. the tango, as greatly altered by Italian immigrants from its African origins) is the other side of the same coin as the politics of Argentina from Peron onwards that have ruined the country economically (after having been one of the world's wealthiest countries at the turn of the 20th century)?
I don't see any connection there. Neighboring Uruguay is just as much into Tango (actually some say it was invented in Montevideo), yet still the best place in Latin America.
But I think there is a lot of kitsch regarding Tango. Most young people in both countries don't seem to care much about Tango. Just because a country is known for a certain genre does not mean that genre is very important there. Just like many Brazilians do not care about Samba or Bossa Nova, and like many Portuguese don't listen to Fado. Nor do most Americans listen to Jazz just because it was invented there.
I'd like to add that, even though the tango dance has some sort of sensuality and passion to it, the music together with the lyrics are more melancholy and gloomy rather than happy. I mean, in that sense it's very different from a dance like salsa, for example. IMO.
This is just a feature of tango and in no way is it meant to downplay its beauty. On the contrary, some forms of art are gloomy and melancholy and still beautiful.
Anyway, the passion and sensuality is more related to the dance than to the music and lyrics.
But I guess if, let's say, Argentina had gotten British and Irish immigrants more than Spanish and Italian immigrants (but there were still some Spaniards and Italians in the mix), tango would have taken a somewhat different form, a somewhat less passionate and sensual form (perhaps even sticking more to its African roots)?
The IMF did, with the help of Carlos Menem and Fernando De La Rua.
I'd say that a whole bunch of factors have ruined Argentina economically: backward political and economic institutions coming out of Spain (which, from after the Golden Age of the 1400s to WWII, was a have-not country) - including much corruption and repression, the Argentine elites' adverse reactions to immigration at the turn of the 20th century, the coups taking place from 1930, Peronism (in a way), various military dictatorships, the IMF, etc. So, you cannot blame just the IMF and all that!
I'd say that a whole bunch of factors have ruined Argentina economically: backward political and economic institutions coming out of Spain (which, from after the Golden Age of the 1400s to WWII, was a have-not country) - including much corruption and repression, the Argentine elites' adverse reactions to immigration at the turn of the 20th century, the coups taking place from 1930, Peronism (in a way), various military dictatorships, the IMF, etc. So, you cannot blame just the IMF and all that!
Argentina was doing relatively well by 1992.
Then the IMF destroyed the country, with the help of Carlos Menem, and later, Fernando de La Rua.
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