When I began reading Foer's How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization I was certain that my home country would be mentioned several times, particularly in the begining sections about the hooligans and corruption. However I was surprised to find that Argentina was barely mentioned in the book despite its prestigious reputation on the soccer field and as a once major economic super power ruined by corruption and political failures. In fact, Argentina's exclusion from the book proves just how far it has fallen since its heyday in the early 1900's to its current obscurity.
The world has certainly become a more globalized place and as Foer states soccer has been a part of it, as most of the world religiously follows the sport. Yet Argentina has remained closed off to this globalization and while some would argue that this is a symptom of failures, I believe it is one of the major players in its decline.
Soccer has always been extremely important in Argentina and the situation I grew up witnessing was not unlike what Foer described in Serbia where the clubs had gangs of fans called barras bravas. There have been over 256 deaths related to these hooligan groups and the control much of the money that is generated from the sport. Corruption runs rampant throughout the sport and the power of the soccer clubs is such that the president of the soccer organization in Argentina (AFA) has been known to grant meetings with the President, Christina Kirchner and not the other way around. The fans of Argentine football are some of the most passionate in the world and yet the domestic league has declined along with the nation. The money is no longer flowing into Argentina as is never transitioned its economic power stemming from grain and meat exportation into a global economy. It had one of the fastest growing economies once upon a time, but political turmoil lead to the borders closing down and investors jumping ship. And as the economy declined so did its soccer league until it is a shell of its former self, all its players leaving for wealthy European teams as soon as the can. Today Argentina continues to struggle, heavily limiting the good that enter the country in a desperate attempt to create jobs while trying to stabilize its rapidly devaluing currency.
The solution I believe is to embrace the globalization and open up trade as much as possible. At first it will be worse but then it would greatly help the people and ultimately could allow Argentina to recover from its free fall. Unfortunately Argentines are always the pessimists as can be seen from the politics and soccer scandals that have plagued the country. The infamous Falklan Island conflict was followed up by the Hand of God scandal, wherein an Argentine player eliminated England from the World Cup by cheating. He later admitted to it but claimed it was the same as stealing an Englishman's wallet and that any Argentine would have done the same. This is because their mentality is to take or get taken. This cultural skepticism and lack of trust is common in Argentina and it will prevent them from opening up their economy and trusting other nations the way they would need to to become a bigger part of the global economy of today.
Sources:
http://www.dw.de/los-hooligans-más-peligrosos-del-mundo-están-en-argentina/a-2816440-1
Foer reading How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
In a situation where there seems to be corruption and lack of order, as you describe in Argentina, it does seem like this is due to the country's lack of embracing globalization. Though I often believe globalization does more harm than good, in this case, Argentina needs it to move forward and keep up with the rest of the world, and foster better relationships with other nations who can ultimately help them. As long as Argentinians are able to keep their individuality while branching out to other international players, opening up trade and communication between other nations may be a good path for Argentina's future.
ReplyDeleteI think your post really emphasizes the importance of globalization in the developing world. The truth is, while in theory it seems beneficial to steer clear of it and increase the economy through creating jobs and such, with the rate globalization is expanding, countries like Argentina can't really afford to reject it. Through technological advances, ideological changes and the introduction of new products and ideas, this world is developing rapidly. And while globalized countries are progressing further and further, countries like Argentina are being left in the dust. And unfortunately, the larger the gap between these countries widens, the harder it will be for Argentina to get help from globalized countries. So, I agree with you that if they want to get back to the place they once were, they must embrace globalization.
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