Carlos Ibarguren

Carlos Ibarguren (April 18, 1877 – April 3, 1956) was an Argentine academic, historian and politician. As a writer he was noted as one of the foremost academics of the history of Argentina as well as a leading expert on constitutional law. Politically he was initially associated with the liberal tendency amongst the country's intelligentsia before moving to far right nationalism in later life.

Early career Ibarguren was born on Salta, in 1877 to Dr. Federico Ibarguren and Margarita Uriburu and was schooled locally. He then went to the University of Buenos Aires, graduating with a doctorate of law in 1898. An academic by profession, Ibarguren was a professor of law at the University of Buenos Aires, his alma mater. Recognised for his fine legal and constitutional mind from 1904 onwards he held several undersecretary positions within the government. Utilising his experience Roque Sáenz Peña appointed him as justice minister during his administration of Roque Sáenz Peña, a position he held until 1914. Politically Ibarguren grew interested in using the masses as a bulwark of reactionary activity and as such moved close to the ideas of fascism.

Following the 1930 coup of Gen. José Félix Uriburu, Ibarguren petitioned the new president to switch to corporatism and this economic model came to dominate his thinking until, under Ibarguren's advice, Juan Perón allowed the corporations to be represented in parliament in 1948. Despite this however, Ibarguren held no formal positions within the governments of either Uriburu or Perón and largely concentrated on his academic pursuits. His last political role of note was as De facto Federal Interventor of Córdoba from 1930 to 1931, a post entrusted to him by Uriburu. Ibarguren died in Buenos Aires, in 1956.

Writing Ibarguren was especially noted for his work on the history of Argentina, with his most celebrated books being Juan Manuel de Rosas (1930), Las sociedades literarias y la revolución argentina (1938) and La historia que he vivido (1955). He also served as president of the Argentine Academy of Letters.

Works

Juan Manuel de Rosas (1930) En la penumbra de la Historia Argentina (1932) Estampas de Argentinos (1935) Las sociedades literarias y la revolución argentina (1937) La reforma Constitucional, sus fundamentos y su estructura (1948) San Martín íntimo (1950) La historia que he vivido (1955).