READERSWRITE

OH, THOSE NOTEBOOKS!

Personally, it is my belief that the famous notebooks have generated a true before and after in the history of Argentina. Why? Because for the first time we have in sight a true Revolution, a civilian one in this case, which hits out not only at political but also at business corporativism. At this stage we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg, but I sincerely believe that, as the businessmen involved in corruption start to “sing” (worldwide experience has shown that they have less of an elephant’s skin than politicians do!), we shall witness the collapse, finally and after so many decades, of the “patria

contratista,” the contractors’ fatherland. And now an optimistic message: after World War II, the large economic groups which thrived during the Third Reich saw their influence reduced by the rise of the

Mittelstand, the sum of the small- and medium-sizedcompanieswhichcontinue today as the major economic force in Germany. Instead, throughout all these years, in Argentina the economy has been dominated by the leaders of the largest companies and, although we are definitely a country of Pymes, these have had little to say regarding governmental decisions and are nowadays submerged under the weight of unbearable taxation. Well, my conviction is that, with the destruction of corporativism in general and of corrupt businessmeninparticular,innottoomuch time the influence of our Mittelstand will surge as has happened not only in Germany but also in other nations around the world.

Besides, I have no doubt that the large firms that did not indulge in corrupt practices will be more than happy to work together with the Pymes, not trying to impose themselves on them but, on the contrary, admitting them as indispensable for their own evolution.

That at this moment many of our businessmen are suffering from a severe bout of diarrhoea, wondering if their name is also included in the notebooks, is a very good thing. Argentina has to be rinsed clean, once and for all! Harry Ingham City

A QUESTION OF TIME

When I was my youngest daughter’s age, it was extremely dangerous to go out and protest against the Establishment. You could be arrested and “disappeared.” We were scared, terrified, and little did we know about the unbelievable acts of crueltyof lastmilitarydictatorship (1976-1983). Insharpcontrast,lastWednesday,August 8, I was thrilled and proud to see hundreds of thousands of young people (Lucía among them) gaining the streets, defying the rain and cold, supporting or opposing the decriminalisation of abortion. Personally, I’m deeply sorry about its rejection, but I’m sure it’s only a question of time. Sooner or later, mainly thanks to social pressure, that bill will be passed. Young people in Argentina are not as hypocrite asoursenators,mastersofdoublediscourse.Onefemalesenatorwascheekyenough to admit publicly that she hadn’t had time to read the project, but voted against it anyway. I wonder how someone like that can keep her post (and high salary)? Neil Armstrong’swords(utteredin1969)come to mind. Let me paraphrase him: “One small step for some women, one giant leap for womankind.”

Just wait and see. Irene Bianchi Ringuelet, La Plata