The political system of the province of Neuquén is not oblivious to the new demands that the passage of time brings. Historically, the answers have prevailed within an order established by the historical ruling party. In the face of uncertainty, when the system does not seem to offer answers, it will pretend to come from outside, but being generated by the same hegemony that will require both options in order not to lose everything. Call it the yellow, white, blue and now the purple line, all have indicated that they go against the “vices” of their predecessor, but in essence, they share the same economic, political and cultural ideology.
I infer the best intentions in some, but these are irrelevant for these purposes, since what is important are the results of the policy that is advised. When one of the lines of the ruling party maintains that it will seek to “give power to the people” but that in its government “all the concepts of socialism such as public companies and the present state written since the birth of the MPN” will be governing. Or its partners such as the Frente Grande Neuquén and the Movimiento Evita maintain that they will promote “a state that assumes responsibilities beyond the usual ones” and the “recognition of the original peoples.” The ideas and proposals that have led to the ruin of the country are being expounded.
To say that it is necessary to restore power to the people, but at the same time go down the path of further expanding the intervention of the State, constitutes an oxymoron, since the omnipresence of the state is the denial of individual freedom. From this point of view, the raison d’être of the state is not the defense of the individual and his rights, but that individual rights can be, in circumstances defined by the “good” criteria of the ruler, “sacrificable to the interests of that higher all. The increase in distributions or continue creating state companies, will be used again to create artificial employment but capitalizable electorally, contract with “friendly” companies and the creation of positions such as “militant business director by collector”, will be another loot of politics. It is not the omnipotence of the state presence, which has made modern regions great, it is individual liberties. The first duty of a great revolution, made with the intention of changing the social regime of government, is to change and limit that state context that has been embodied in different governments, turning the citizen into a fiscal machine at the service of the system. For this idea, have political rights, participate in some internal or vote etc. it is all that is called freedom; but citizenship will never be less limited as long as this acclaimed socialist structure is maintained and deepened.
We are also witnessing what Spanish Congresswoman Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo called the “idolatry of identity,” which is the antithesis of the liberal republican order. Expressions that assume the interpretation of the feelings of all the inhabitants of the province, such as “we know what the Neuquinos want,” or invoking issues of “neuquinization” or “neuquinity” incur in what is known as an ”anthropomorphic fallacy,” which is when a political party or faction tries to invoke individual characteristics such as pride, dignity and choice.
This only serves the state apparatus for the purpose of assigning desires to non-existent groups, to hide the fact that the proposed goals are desired by those who seek under these premises to settle in the governmental orbit.
The main idea deduces that the “being Neuquén” is represented by those who are within the faction itself. No one doubts that affection for the land where one was born, for its neighbors and most emblematic geographical places are important for the progress of a region. But it is one thing to love your place, and it is very different to declaim an overstated fanaticism and earthly love, abusing liturgical symbols, waving maps and flags, exacerbating the people and vociferating a kind of “Neuquin truths.”
Lastly, the minimization of violent acts, private property and usurpations that have been taking place in recent years in Neuquén and surrounding areas, such as what happened in the Istmo de Mari Menuco, the work on the ring road in Villa la Angostura between many more imply an attack to the heart of the National Constitution, which, as Alberdi expressed, has placed an “iron bolt” on property rights in the face of attempts to disregard or violate it. The right to property implies that the effort of each one is not violated neither by the majorities, nor by the State, nor by third parties. Understanding the value of the property right implies not differentiating whether it is a commercial bookstore, a family SME or an oil mega-company. It is a moral right that has beneficial economic implications. Since humanity began to respect the right to the fruit of private effort, the progress of those areas where it was respected was extraordinary. Weakness implies impoverishment and dependence on the “official finger” – on public employment or state subsidies -. That is, less power to the people. The rudder is available to the public, the important thing is to use it to navigate calm waters and not be seduced by messianic proposals and phraseologies that point to shipwreck.
*Master in Political Economy and International Analyst
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