The US dollar against “the caste”: Argentina’s libertarian right wing and its promise of a new monetary regime

Abstract

This article seeks to understand the part played by the US currency in the radical program of Javier Milei and his allies. On the one hand, it explores the ways in which the dollarization project gained presence in the electoral campaign of 2023, conferring identity and making the libertarian project attractive to an important part of society. On the other hand, it shows the continuity and rupture lines of this process with the previous history of the popularization of the US dollar in Argentina. Finally, it sheds light on how Milei’s dollarization becomes a prism for understanding the Argentine uniqueness regarding the radical right’s global growth.