Argentina Population Migration

In 1810 – the year in which the small Euro-Argentine society, pro-European by race and mentality, inspired by the principles of the French Revolution, imported by its distinguished men such as Rodriguez Peña, Belgrano, Moreno, Alberdi, opposed the spirit of the Spanish conquerors, of which after the revolution he declared the dominion lapsed – the Argentine population consisted of 720,000 residents divided as follows, according to the approximate calculation of José Ingenieros: Mestizos 421,000; Indî 210,000; Mulattos 60,000; Negroes 20,000; European whites 6000; National whites 3000. The men of the revolution immediately took care to attract European emigration by radically modifying the Spanish colonial regime, opposed to foreigners. But the tiny minority of those who made the gaucha, whose collapse was marked by the battle of Caseros, in 1852, with the consequent fall of the tyranny of Rosas. In 1852, the Argentine population was made up of 800,000 men, divided as follows: Mestizos 553,000; Mulatties 110,000; Indî 100,000; Negroes 15,000; National whites 15,000; European whites 7000. These latest figures indicate that in that forty years, despite the efforts of a glorious minority, emigration did not proceed towards the Plata.

According to maternityetchic.com, in 1852 the constitution was signed, inspired by Alberdi’s famous motto: “In America, government is popular”. All attempts were made to attract emigrants and in the decade from 1857 – the year in which the compilation of statistics began in Argentina in 1867, 93,795 Europeans entered the country, of which only 10,000 Spaniards. In 1868 the presidency of Sarmiento began and immigration increased until it reached an average of 30,805 people per year, with a total, up to 1874, of 215,637 immigrants. Among these were the first Italian contingents, who occupied the first place, followed at a distance by the Spanish and French ones, and who gave life to the agricultural colonies, founded a few years earlier, of Santa Fe and Entre Ríos. In 1873 the first export of wheat from Argentina for a total of 5 tons. From 1875 to 1880 the average number of immigrants decreased to 21,752 per year, with a total, over the six years, of 130,513. This decrease was partly due to the unfavorable internal economic and political situation of the country. In the period from 1881 to 1890 immigration increased significantly, encouraged by the government which in the years 1888, 1889 and 1890 made the experiment, later abandoned, of advancing the price of the trip to those who wished to emigrate to Argentina. The figures for these nine years, which coincide with the principle of Italian transoceanic emigration on a large scale, give, according to the data collected by the Argentine sociologist Alejandro Bunge, a total emigration of 841,122 men, against 203,455 returned to Europe, with a balance in favor of Argentina of 637. 667 people. Italian statistics give a total of 39,503 emigrants to Argentina for these nine years. Agricultural and livestock industries developed and exports began, which in 1884 increased to 108,499 tons of wheat and which, increasing according to an annual average of 30%, caused an excess of optimism due to crazy expenses and increased debts.

In 1890 the economic and political crisis broke out, which caused immigration to descend in 1891 to 28,666 people against 72,380 who returned to Europe, with a balance against Argentina of 44,114 people.

The Italians who adapt best to the environment are however, as true migrants, the most sensitive to the economic crises of the country where they settle, and in such periods we see them repatriating in large numbers, with a higher percentage than all the others. contingent, less adaptable but heavier and more resigned. In 1895, Italian immigration to Argentina decreased by 75% from one year to the next; in the crises of 1890 there was a real exodus, and in 1891 only 15,511 Italians entered Argentina against 57,920 returned, with a balance in favor of the latter of 42,409 people. After the panic, immigration is slowly increasing, and in the years from 1892 to 1903 the Argentine statistics accuse the entry into the country of 843,446 people, of which according to the statistics of the Kingdom 517,389 are Italians. After deducting 389,292 people returned to Europe, there is an average annual balance in favor of Argentina of 37,789 people and a total of 453,477 people for the last 12 years, which were those of the reorganization of the internal situation after the 1890 crisis. Railways and roads increase, agriculture and pastoralism increase, and that extraordinary period for emigration to the Plata begins which, from 1904 to 1913, marks the average annual entry into the country of 239,197 people for a total of 2,391.879, and – after deducting 907,814 returnees – with a balance in favor of Argentina of 1,484,165 people, of which about half are Italians. In this period, the phenomenon of the Argentines called there is an average annual balance in favor of Argentina of 37,789 people and a total of 453,477 people for the last 12 years, which were those of the reorganization of the internal situation after the crisis of 1890. Railways and roads, agriculture and pastoralism increases, and that extraordinary period begins for emigration to the Plata which, from 1904 to 1913, marks the average annual entry into the country of 239,197 people for a total of 2,391,879, and – after deducting 907,814  returned – with a balance in favor of Argentina of 1,484,165 people, of which about half are Italians. In this period, the phenomenon of the Argentines called the emigración golondrina, that is “swallow emigration”, made up of Italian farmers who came in the months of October, November and December, a time of South American harvest and agricultural stagnation in Italy, taking advantage of the reduced price of the passage on the steam of the companies then competing, they worked intensely, and returned home in the months of May and June with the accumulated savings.

The Argentine national census of 1914 reported on 7,885,237 residents, 2,357,952 foreigners, a degree of cosmopolitanism that worried especially because, since all immigrants were of working age, it derived that out of 2,200,000 male residents over 20 years old, over half, 1,150,000, were foreigners. A principle of unemployment and the declaration of war, which recalled the reservists of every country to arms, meant that from 1914 to 1919 the number of returnees, overall for this period of 480,840, was always higher than the number of immigrants, in all of 266,665, with a balance against Argentina of 214,175 people. In the 5 years of the war, 6357 Italians entered Argentina against 161.151 who returned to Italy, partly for military obligations. As for the figures of Italians, the statistics of the Kingdom are not in agreement with the Argentine ones nor could they be completely since, while the former contemplate the movement between Italy and Argentina, the latter concern the movement of Italians from wherever they come and wherever they go, with Argentina. After the war, immigration to the Plata resumed with new vigor and in the period 1920-1926 829,860 immigrants entered the country, against 346,343 returned, with a balance in favor of Argentina of 583,417 people. Overall, therefore, from 1857 to 1926, a total of 5,741,653 immigrants entered Argentina, of which the Italians, according to the aforementioned Bunge calculations, represent 47.36% with 2,718,190 people. Followed by the Spaniards with 32, -27%, the French with 4%, the Russians with 3%, etc.

Italians who emigrated to Argentina.

The fact of the emigration of individuals of the same nationality remains an indifferent phenomenon until the moment in which immigrants in a particular country or region become a collective force: material, intellectual and moral force, well framed in the evolution of the people. in the midst of which they live, organize and distinguish themselves.

Under these two essential aspects it is necessary to study the phenomenon of Italian emigration to the Rio della Plata.