“It is enough to make you die of despair.” Workers, scarcity and politics in times of World War II: Tucumán (Argentina) 1939-1943.

Abstract

One of the most immediate consequences of World War II in the country was the prices inflation. Its effects were devastating for workers economies and added complexity to survival strategies of subalterns. In a province like Tucumán, located north of the country, this situation was perceived as critic and promoted the consolidation of a maximum prices defense movement led by most important labor leaders that soon acquired political overtones. This article proposes, then, to examine the effects of war on the forms of workers collective action in the province of Tucuman and the responses and actions taken by unions to deal with price increases. From this analysis, later, we evaluate the strategies and the political uses of that particular struggle.