Well, this morning's news is that the President of Argentina has resigned, the government (if there is one in any meaningful sense) will now default on its debts, chaos is mounting in the streets with 20 deaths so far and, I guess, a military dictatorship (of the left or the right) is quite possible in the next few days.
In the course of 101 years, Argentina has dropped from being the fourth most advanced country in the world (the order then was England, America, Germany, Argentina, France, etc). With its long ice-free coastline available for trading (a very important factor in economic development) and resources, it could now be lying second or third in the present league table (America, Japan, Germany, England, etc). It's now around 20th or 30th and could be much lower before too long. (To the anti-globalisers, Argentina ought to be a salutary lesson in what happens if you're protective and don't take much part in world trade.) I know very little more about Argentina. It has not featured much on my reading list during over the period of two-thirds of its decline. All I know is that (a) it has suffered from gross over-government with great corruption among its politicians, and (b) it played around with (and greatly devalued) its national currency more than most. (To the anti-corporationists, large firms have hardly featured in Argentina's affairs, so they can't be blamed either.) After my morning pot of tea (and missives to FW) and dogwalk, I often breakfast on French baguettes and Argentinian corned beef. I do hope that the last item will not be denied me in my last few years. That's me, being selfish -- but then, we all are, aren't we? -- despite our noble sentiments. Keith Hudson __________________________________________________________ �Writers used to write because they had something to say; now they write in order to discover if they have something to say.� John D. Barrow _________________________________________________ Keith Hudson, Bath, England; e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________
