Between Revolution and the Ballot Box: The Origins of the Argentine Radical Party in the 1890s

Founded in 1891, the Union Civica Radical, generally known as the Radical Party, is the oldest national political party in Argentina. As the strongest opposition party during the 1890s, a pivotal decade in the birth of Argentina’s party system, the Radical Party effected a critical development in Argentine politics: it created a system of open confrontation and political competition. This study offers not merely a revised version of the party’s story but also a new perspective on the politics of the nation as a whole.