Eric Calcagno
Encyclopedia
Eric Calcagno y Maillmann (born April 9, 1967) is an Argentine
sociologist, journalist, diplomat and politician. Having been the Ambassador to France, he became a member of the Argentine Senate
in 2007 before joining the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
as a junior minister. He returned to his Senate seat in 2008.
, Calcagno comes from a family with a strong background in academia and connections with France. His grandfather, Alfredo Domingo Calcagno, rector of the National University of La Plata, was the Argentine ambassador to UNESCO
in Paris during the Presidency
of Arturo Frondizi
. His father, Alfredo Eric Calcagno, studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
before working for the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America
for more than twenty years.
Calcagno studied at French schools and, in the early 1990s, graduated from the École Nationale d'Administration
in France in public administration and from the Sorbonne
in sociology.
Calcagno worked as an economics consultant and journalist, including for Le Monde Diplomatique
(Southern Cone
Edition), Diario Hoy of La Plata, the magazines Veintitrés
and Veintitrés Internacional and Terra. With his father he co-wrote two books on politics and economics: Para entender la política, entre la ilusión de lo óptimo y la realidad de lo pésimo (English translation of title: How to understand politics. Between an utopian illusion and the worst reality), Editorial Norma (Buenos Aires, 1999) and La deuda externa explicada a todos (los que tienen que pagarla) (English translation of title: Foreign Debt Explained to Those Who Have to Pay it), Editorial Catálogos (Buenos Aires, 2000).
He published Terra incógnita, crónica de la caída de la convertibilidad (English translation of title: Terrae Incognita: a chronicle of the fall of the dollar peg of the Argentine peso), a chronicle of the Argentine economic crisis, in 2005. He was known as a critic of neoliberal economics and the Washington Consensus
. He teamed up with his father to teach economics at the National University of Lanús
, Buenos Aires
and taught a range of other universities, including as Director of the Centre of Studies of National Economic Thought (CEPEN) at the University of Buenos Aires
.
In 2005, Calcagno was a reserve member on the Front for Victory
list for the Senate for Buenos Aires Province
. The list was headed by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and was successful in the October elections, winning the maximum two places. Shortly after the election, in December 2005, Calcagno was named Ambassador to France, after Rafael Bielsa
had accepted that position only to reject it a day later in public. In 2007, upon the election of Fernández de Kirchner as President of Argentina, Calcagno replaced her in the Senate. However, within ten days he was granted a leave of absence
to take up the President's offer of a position in government. He became subsecretary of Small and Medium Enterprises.
Calcagno's post at the Senate was left vacant until July 2008, when the tax farm issue arose. In March the government tried to introduce a new taxation system on agricultural exports. Nationwide mass protests were the result and the government eventually was forced to send the government's farm exports tax proposal to the Argentine Congress. Calcagno had to leave his office and return to the Senate in order to vote in favour of the government, as a close tie was due. This vote was eventually decided by Vice-President Julio Cobos, who rejected the farm exports tax bill. Calcagno remained in the Senate, where he took over the chairmanship of the Infrastructure, Transport and Housing committee soon afterwards.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
sociologist, journalist, diplomat and politician. Having been the Ambassador to France, he became a member of the Argentine Senate
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
in 2007 before joining the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...
as a junior minister. He returned to his Senate seat in 2008.
Career
Born in La PlataLa Plata
La Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
, Calcagno comes from a family with a strong background in academia and connections with France. His grandfather, Alfredo Domingo Calcagno, rector of the National University of La Plata, was the Argentine ambassador to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in Paris during the Presidency
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
of Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi Ercoli was the President of Argentina between May 1, 1958, and March 29, 1962, for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union.-Early life:Frondizi was born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province...
. His father, Alfredo Eric Calcagno, studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
The Institut d'études politiques de Paris , simply referred to as Sciences Po , is a public research and higher education institution in Paris, France, specialised in the social sciences. It has the status of grand établissement, which allows its admissions process to be highly selective...
before working for the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean was established in 1948 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. In 1984, a resolution was passed to include the countries of the Caribbean in the name...
for more than twenty years.
Calcagno studied at French schools and, in the early 1990s, graduated from the École Nationale d'Administration
École nationale d'administration
The École Nationale d'Administration , one of the most prestigious of French graduate schools , was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle to democratise access to the senior civil service. It is now entrusted with the selection and initial training of senior French officials...
in France in public administration and from the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in sociology.
Calcagno worked as an economics consultant and journalist, including for Le Monde Diplomatique
Le Monde diplomatique
Le Monde diplomatique is a monthly newspaper offering analysis and opinion on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first created mainly for a diplomatic audience as its name implies...
(Southern Cone
Southern Cone
Southern Cone is a geographic region composed of the southernmost areas of South America, south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Although geographically this includes part of Southern and Southeast of Brazil, in terms of political geography the Southern cone has traditionally comprised Argentina,...
Edition), Diario Hoy of La Plata, the magazines Veintitrés
Veintitrés
-History:The magazine was established in 1998 as Veintiuno by Jorge Lanata and colleagues from the television news magazine, Día D: Adolfo Castelo, Olga Gatti, Claudio Martínez, Jorge Repiso, Ernesto Tenembaum, and Marcelo Zlotogwiazda...
and Veintitrés Internacional and Terra. With his father he co-wrote two books on politics and economics: Para entender la política, entre la ilusión de lo óptimo y la realidad de lo pésimo (English translation of title: How to understand politics. Between an utopian illusion and the worst reality), Editorial Norma (Buenos Aires, 1999) and La deuda externa explicada a todos (los que tienen que pagarla) (English translation of title: Foreign Debt Explained to Those Who Have to Pay it), Editorial Catálogos (Buenos Aires, 2000).
He published Terra incógnita, crónica de la caída de la convertibilidad (English translation of title: Terrae Incognita: a chronicle of the fall of the dollar peg of the Argentine peso), a chronicle of the Argentine economic crisis, in 2005. He was known as a critic of neoliberal economics and the Washington Consensus
Washington Consensus
The term Washington Consensus was coined in 1989 by the economist John Williamson to describe a set of ten relatively specific economic policy prescriptions that he considered constituted the "standard" reform package promoted for crisis-wracked developing countries...
. He teamed up with his father to teach economics at the National University of Lanús
National University of Lanús
The National University of Lanús is an Argentine national university, situated in Remedios de Escalada, Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province.It was created on June 7th, 1995 by national law 24,496.-See also:*** Argentine Universities...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and taught a range of other universities, including as Director of the Centre of Studies of National Economic Thought (CEPEN) at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
.
In 2005, Calcagno was a reserve member on the Front for Victory
Front for Victory
The Front for Victory is a Peronist political party and electoral alliance in Argentina, although it is formally a faction of the Justicialist Party. Both the former President Néstor Kirchner and the current President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner belong to this party, located on the left-wing...
list for the Senate for Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
. The list was headed by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and was successful in the October elections, winning the maximum two places. Shortly after the election, in December 2005, Calcagno was named Ambassador to France, after Rafael Bielsa
Rafael Bielsa
Rafael Antonio Bielsa Caldera is an Argentine Justicialist Party politician from Rosario, province of Santa Fe. He is the brother of former Argentina national football team coach Marcelo Bielsa; both are well-known Newell's Old Boys supporters...
had accepted that position only to reject it a day later in public. In 2007, upon the election of Fernández de Kirchner as President of Argentina, Calcagno replaced her in the Senate. However, within ten days he was granted a leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
to take up the President's offer of a position in government. He became subsecretary of Small and Medium Enterprises.
Calcagno's post at the Senate was left vacant until July 2008, when the tax farm issue arose. In March the government tried to introduce a new taxation system on agricultural exports. Nationwide mass protests were the result and the government eventually was forced to send the government's farm exports tax proposal to the Argentine Congress. Calcagno had to leave his office and return to the Senate in order to vote in favour of the government, as a close tie was due. This vote was eventually decided by Vice-President Julio Cobos, who rejected the farm exports tax bill. Calcagno remained in the Senate, where he took over the chairmanship of the Infrastructure, Transport and Housing committee soon afterwards.