On Argentine agrarian policy in the period 1933-2007

This paper analyzes Argentina's economic policy in relation to the agricultural sector, specifically those measures implemented since 1933. When possible, we point out the enunciated foundations of these policies; make systematization, and try to detect its effects on the agrarian sector, according sub-periods on the basis of the predominant economic ideas which inspired the implemented policies. Three key instruments that can be said to constitute specific agrarian policies were detected: external commercial policy (export taxes), exchange rate policy, and price policy. It is not an objective of the paper to do an exhaustive analysis of the whole period, but rather we concentrate on those sub-periods that were rich in policy generation. It is concluded that specific agricultural economic policies were initially designed to allay the effects of the crisis at the beginning of thirties, and were thought as transitory. These policies tended to favour the sector and, through it, the country. As time moved forward, they became clearly discriminatory against the sector.