Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires

Abstract Studies on the political life of the poor in Latin American have rarely focused on money, although there have been works focused on the survival strategies of the poor; political clientelism; and collective mobilizations. In this article, I analyze political life in the poor neighborhoods o...

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Main Author: Ariel Wilkis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul 2016-06-01
Series:Horizontes Antropológicos
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-71832016000100049&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Ariel Wilkis
author_facet Ariel Wilkis
author_sort Ariel Wilkis
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description Abstract Studies on the political life of the poor in Latin American have rarely focused on money, although there have been works focused on the survival strategies of the poor; political clientelism; and collective mobilizations. In this article, I analyze political life in the poor neighborhoods of Greater Buenos Aires through the lens of money that circulates within the Peronist networks. I conducted ethnography fieldwork between 2006 and 2010. Does money have a legitimate role in politics? Has the monetization of political activities dissolved values, commitments, and loyalties among the poor? Is this corruption, or is this an ethical exchange among people who lack cash but possess moral capital? Here, I analyze how money becomes necessary to strengthen commitments, loyalties, obligations, expectations, and plans for both leaders and activists. Reconstructing this process can provide a foundation for the revision of place of money in political life.
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spelling doaj.art-5636248f018e492692a97d7fdea1cdaf2022-12-22T01:45:53ZengUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulHorizontes Antropológicos1806-99832016-06-012245497610.1590/S0104-71832016000100003S0104-71832016000100049Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos AiresAriel WilkisAbstract Studies on the political life of the poor in Latin American have rarely focused on money, although there have been works focused on the survival strategies of the poor; political clientelism; and collective mobilizations. In this article, I analyze political life in the poor neighborhoods of Greater Buenos Aires through the lens of money that circulates within the Peronist networks. I conducted ethnography fieldwork between 2006 and 2010. Does money have a legitimate role in politics? Has the monetization of political activities dissolved values, commitments, and loyalties among the poor? Is this corruption, or is this an ethical exchange among people who lack cash but possess moral capital? Here, I analyze how money becomes necessary to strengthen commitments, loyalties, obligations, expectations, and plans for both leaders and activists. Reconstructing this process can provide a foundation for the revision of place of money in political life.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-71832016000100049&lng=en&tlng=endinheirofavelaspobrepolítica
spellingShingle Ariel Wilkis
Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires
Horizontes Antropológicos
dinheiro
favelas
pobre
política
title Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires
title_full Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires
title_fullStr Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires
title_full_unstemmed Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires
title_short Money, morality, and politics in the slums of Buenos Aires
title_sort money morality and politics in the slums of buenos aires
topic dinheiro
favelas
pobre
política
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-71832016000100049&lng=en&tlng=en
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