Week 10: Power to the People

This chapter was very interesting in its focus on populism and how populism was served by technological innovations such as radio and television. The power of music and other forms of media is exemplified by how the Vargas government in Brazil paid such special attention to them, specifically the Samba. Eventually Samaba and the radio toppled an entire regime, which was of course unprecedented.

Meanwhile the military coup that preceded the right wing authoritarian government was a very important point in history for Argentina. Tango was an important part of the political atmosphere of the time, acting much like the blues did for the African Slaves in the U.S. Tango was marked by its sad tunes, that were reflective of the horrible conditions they lived under by the argentine dictators.

Radio also helped spread populism, and through televised speeches and her amplified voice, Eva Peron rose to power. Hated by the establishment Peronism became a defining ideology in argentine politics, much to the angst of the U.S. which regarded it as anti American with the NYT reporting on developments in regards to Peronism in a negative light.