Some guys thoughts on various things: Any lessons from Argentina's 20th Century?

I'm not the first to draw parallels between the United States and Argentina, and the subject properly addressed would require at least an essay, and might support a book, rather than a few notes found here. Nonetheless, some of the similarities and their implications are noteworthy.
Compared to the US, Argentina is significantly smaller, at around a third the area and fifteen percent the population, but is is as large or larger than many countries to which comparisons are often made. It is also similar in its endowment of natural resources, and in the largely immigrant population which arrived, as with much of ours, coincident to an industrial boom in the few decades around the turn of the last century.
In 1900, Argentina had the twelth highest per capita GDP, to the US' 3rd, according to Nationmaster.com (cool site). In 1950, it held the same rank to the US' 1st, at a little over half. Today, adjusted for PPP, probably favorable to its ranking, it is ranked 45th, at a little better than 1/3 the US (2nd).
A case can be made that this slide is largely due to the consistent implementation of populist, progressive policies, whether by military junta or democratically elected governments. In very broad strokes, inflationary policies, financial repression in the form of tariffs and currency controls, and greater displacement of the private sector by state enterprise culminated in the financial crisis of 1999, which in turn culminated in what may be the most notorious sovereign default since the Second World war.
Since then, there has been a sharp rebound, despite a lack of access to international capital markets. In addition, the strength of recovery is difficult to judge as the government's statistics have become increasingly unreliable.
The bigger picture through, is that although there has been a recovery, Argentina is now very much a third world country. Even as progressives find inspiration in those policies, Argentina will continue to be a third world country as long as it is governed according to a progressive narrative. So will any country, including this one, which does the same.

Here some pics from my visit there. No points, just tourist pics: (note- I highly recommend Silverstar car service if you're in BA)

Lobby of a really high end building. Some are doing OK.

The pisser.

Development with Paris style top floor. Some quantness lost with 30 odd floors.

Ubiquitous breeze block buildings.

La Boca water

La Boca - houses painted with ship paint, so brightly colored.

An old Falcon. Lots of these

Neighborhood doogs.

Black and white Coke signs. They're a sponsor of the local team, but the rival's colors are red and white. Hence the black and white Coke signs, which seem to have become pretty common throughout the city.

San Telmo

Canes, lots of antiques around here.

Streets

Typical old residential hallway.

Trouble with the English, only one of the interesting parrallels between Argentine and US history.

Symbol of Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo- an organization of mothers and other relatives impacted by the Dirty War in which some 30,000 were killed. Now, sadly politicized, with credibility undermined.

This place is apparently famous. Didn't eat there.

Some of the amazing architecture from a more prosperous era

Tango. Seems simple enough. Can anyone do it?

No.

Recoletta

What happens if you don't pay for maintenance

Evita Peron

Cemetary kitty

Giant rubber tree

with scale

Not neighborhood dogs

This giant sculpture used to open and close, until the artist died- now it remains open

Polo

Embassies

Former Israeili embassy, destroyed in a terrorist attack, possibly with Colusion from Peronist government.

In response to an earlier economic crises, these apartments were actually downsized at the time. The country as a whole was far more prosperous, on a relative (to other countries) and absolute basis.