Building a nation, building a market: Industrial growth and the domestic economy in turn-of-the-century Argentina

This is a study of how industry transformed a country. I focus on the first years of the industrialization of Argentina, the period from the 1870s to the 1910s. At that time, Argentina broke from its roots and entered a rapid process of modernization. This process traditionally has been discussed in the context of exports, while manufacturing has been seen as negligible. My analysis, however, shows that industry was not only a major component of the Argentine economy but also one of the driving forces of its modernization.;Turn-of-the-century industrialization evolved in a variety of spheres. My dissertation attempts to capture some of this varied development that included economic, social cultural, and political aspects. Standardization and mechanization inaugurated mass production. Together with production changes, Argentine capitalism moved toward a more monopolistic form. Industrial mass production fostered the rise of a consumer society, fashion and advertisement became principal components of a society enchanted with modernity. After achieving political unity, Argentina embarked on a project of nation-state formation. Industry facilitated this process by creating a national market of manufactured goods that, by the 1910s, had expanded to almost the entire country.;A long-lasting "canonical version" has contended that industry was a victim of a capital market and a state which were extremely hostile to manufacturing. My research challenges this school of thought. Access to financing for industrial endeavors was much easier than previously thought, while the state supported industry through tariffs.;By demonstrating the dramatic importance of industry to the modernization of Argentina, my dissertation highlights the importance of the domestic market in the development of an exporting country.