A ghost is haunting Latin America: libertarianism, or more specifically, libertarians. Currently, the absolutely innovative political expressions of libertarianism in the region are Javier Milei and his successful parliamentary candidacy in Argentina and José Antonio Kast, with his surprising first place in the first round of presidential elections in Chile. They are equal? No. But they are similar, they express Western libertarianism in the Latin American way.
This new phenomenon has unfolded in recent years in the Western world. It is a current that, in short, includes a discourse and a political challenge reactive to certain emerging countries of the global order and their correlative cultural change: migrations, multiculturalism, environmentalism, sexual diversity, individualism, gender. The common political denominator that encompasses these reactions is nationalism.
But in Latin America, the libertarian irruption occurred with the rise of Jair Bolsonaro, who was characterized by introducing an intricate mix of sociocultural conservatism, economic neoliberalism and religious fundamentalism.
the common traits
Milei and Kast are, in the first place, neoliberals, that is, reborn believers in the market economy as it develops, and absolute opponents of any policy of state intervention or income redistribution, as implemented in many countries in the region in the first decade and a half of this century. And for both, these policies have a name and a surname: communist socialism.
Both reposition, almost like a religious precept, the centrality of the individual and his rational will to carry out his life project. Success or not only depends on effort and capacity, that is, on meritocracy. As Calvinism proclaims for the salvation of souls, the future is predestined. Whoever arrives is on his own merit; who does not arrive, because of his demerit. Therefore, it is futile, costly and distorting to try to change the equation through politics.
Latin America responds, for them, to Western, rational, modern, non-collective, free culture. The current form of this Western culture is the global capitalist order in the neoliberal way, open to all and geopolitically hegemonic.
The differences in similarities
However, Milei and Kast are not the same thing, or rather, they express different forms of the same: their libertarianism.
Javier Milei is an economist who became popular after his appearance on TV shows as an economic commentator, where he used a provocative, insulting, rude and aggressive script style. Even his physical appearance and style, which he hasn’t changed, is anti-aesthetic and disruptive of what is expected of a TV figure first and a political figure second.
Popularity opened up the opportunity for him to enter the political game. But instead of polishing his speech, he deepened it, both ideologically and stylistically. This, added to insults and provocations, made him grow politically, and after running for national deputy he became the third political force in the city of Buenos Aires. Their battle motto is the destruction of the “political caste”.
Javier Milei is an emerging from the urban middle sectors, from the social ascension that takes generations in Argentina, he does not come from the elite. Therefore, its discursive style is quickly introjected and allows the channeling of widespread discontent, especially among young people. Its program is simple: market economy, individual and merit, and there is no other sociological, cultural or ideological foundation. Life flows and the only thing politics must protect is free decision, will and individual initiative.
The Chilean Version of Libertism
Chile is the first neoliberal experience in Latin America. This, added to the social discipline resulting from the brutality of the 17-year dictatorship, changed the country’s social structure and cultural patterns.
José Antonio Kast is an emergent of the economic and social change that became structural after the Pinochet dictatorship. It is the new Chilean upper class (at the beginning of the democratic transition they were called pinorich), the absolutely dominant and enriched economic class of the formerly called “Chilean miracle”.
This new bourgeoisie, owner of all the economic tools in Chile, has allied itself with the traditional Chilean patriciate, the traditional upper class, status, guide of Chilean life until practically Allende. A reference class, given the traditionalism of Chilean society, but already stripped of great wealth, even more so after the structural reforms of 1982-1984.
In this framework, Kast expresses the new wealth, which is why he is a staunch defender of neoliberal capitalism, but also of the class alliance with the Chilean patrician. Using the values of the latter, Kast’s discourse is understood as his devotion to normative traditions and his absolute rejection of sociocultural changes, such as gender parity, abortion, sexual diversity or racial mixing.
In this context, it presents a polite, conservative, clear speech, accompanied by a clean, serene and elegant image. His style refers to a self-assured class that considers itself the leader of a civilized and prosperous Western society. The synthesis, or the political cement of this class alliance, is the religious defense of Pinochetismo and the political need to watch over its legacy.
Beyond the similarities and differences, Milei and Kast are two of the main emerging libertarians in Latin America and two references of the most recent and innovative alternative politics implemented in the western world.
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