The impact of the commercialiaction of u.s. machinery on argentina footwear industry (19031920)

In this paper we study the consequences of the establishment in 1903 in Argentina of an American firm engaged in the commercialization of machinery for the footwear industry. We found that this company, by making available the latest technical developments, boosts the productivity of Argentinean factories and allows them to succeed in the domestic competition and to expel many foreign firms - including the United States ones-out of the local market. We consider that this shows the need for a more complex understanding of the economical link between Argentina and the United States than the traditionally advocated by dependentism.