19th Century Gauchos

Often compared to the American cowboy, gauchos were the symbol of Argentinian nationalism and the frontier during the late 18th and 19th centuries. Representing the normal working class population of immigrants to Argentina, gauchos largely impacted the economy until they disappeared during the late 19th century.
Towards the end of the 18th century, the gauchos came about after the South American upper class began investing in large estates and ranches. These ranches were so large that people were needed to tend the land, ultimately the job of the gaucho. By the use of laws and technological advancements, the upper class were able to constrain them to the ranch. Although these men were essentially free, the laws enforced and their poverty forced them to be restrained to the ranch. These mulatto, mestizo, black, and white men were uneducated which explained why the upper class were able to ‘outsmart’ them.
Their work with cattle hide and meat greatly impacted the Argentinian economy. Gauchos herded the cattle on the ranch and caught wild cattle by the means of binding their legs using a lasso, a violent technique. They sold the meat at nearby markets as well as the hide from their skin, a precious treasure in the 19th century. Though ranch work was what the gauchos were most famous for, their skillful tactics used in the militia is noteworthy as well. Their gallant work in the army influenced Jose de San Martin’s view of the term gaucho and he coined the term to mean “valiant patriot forces” (Slatta, 11).
As stated before, the numerous technological advancements began to deeply impact the gauchos.
These advancements kept the gauchos under the reign of their masters but over time lead to the demand of their skills diminishing. Fences were a large advancement and introduced farming to the gauchos, a skill foreign to them. The fences also stood as a metaphor to how the gauchos began to feel on the ranch, closed in with no escape. Along with these advancements, an influx of immigrants from Europe began arriving in Argentina and were willing to do manual labor for less money. This influx of European immigrants displaced many gauchos from their jobs. The death of cattle and ranch land contributed to this problem as well. Due to this change, sheep started to become prevalent in the 1840s and the gauchos needed to quickly adapt to these changes in order to keep their jobs. This new change in technique was unlike the traditional form of care for the cattle they were used to practicing. Eventually the cattle ranching business was completely displaced by the sheep
industry. The gauchos were typically compared to the American cowboy, although they were different in numerous ways. Gauchos relied on their horses and knives, their only possessions at the bottom of the social class system, to bring upon work. Being strong and proud made them similar to the cowboy but their use of more complex techniques set them apart. Despite being recognized as symbols of nationalism, their lack of obedience to their masters contradicts the view of gauchos as representatives of the working class. They began to view themselves as free people who lived above the law. Gauchos were also portrayed as being completely patriotic and nationalistic while Slatta stated that they were often forced to join the military due to laws rather than “patriotic zeal” (Slatta, 10). These gauchos were an excellent example of what it was like to live in the great frontier during the 19th century. The impact the gauchos had on the Argentinian economy has long since been felt, even after their disappearance into history.