A History of Argentina in the Twentieth Century, originally published in Buenos Aires in 1994, attained instant status as a classic. Written as an introductory text for university students and the general public, it is a profound reflection on the “Argentine dilemma” and the challenges that the country faces as it tries to rebuild democracy. Luis Alberto Romero brilliantly and painstakingly reconstructs and analyzes Argentina’s tortuous, often tragic modern history, from the “alluvial society” born of mass immigration, to the dramatic years of Juan and Eva Perón, to the recent period of military dictatorship. For this second English-language edition, Romero has written new chapters covering the Kirchner decade (2003–13), the upheavals surrounding the country’s 2001 default on its foreign debt, and the tumultuous years that followed as Argentina sought to reestablish a role in the global economy while securing democratic governance and social peace.

Translated by: James P. Brennan