The “mejoristas”: The rise of a libertarian mindset among Argentina’s youth

Abstract

A shared disapproval of the economy, politics, and the state characterized theyoung voters who elected Argentina’s current libertarian president, Javier Milei. Thisdissatisfaction stems from experiences characterized by persistent inflation, chronicdisappointment with elected officials, and, underlying it all, the weakness of stateinstitutions. Against this backdrop, and in the face of rapid changes in technology andthe havoc of the pandemic, a social mindset favoring a right-wing agenda has emerged.This paper explores this mindset (which we refer to as “mejorismo”, or “betterism”) andits connection to the milestones cited above, arguing that the libertarian candidate’svictory was preceded by a profound social and cultural shift.