Javier Milei caused a political earthquake in November after winning the presidency in Argentina, ending decades of socialist rule. The wild-haired economist got to work immediately after being sworn in, slashing the number of government ministries, including the nation's gender and diversity bureaucracy. He's now pushing the ball further down the field, with a sweeping executive order that eliminates many of the more communistic aspects of Argentina's government. 

That comes as the once-wealthy South American country desperately tries to recover from a self-inflicted inflation crisis that has seen prices rise 160 percent in the preceding year. Milei ran on a return to fiscal sanity, including ending the corrupt regime of hand-outs and benefits that the socialist and union leaders had voted for themselves.

Argentine President Javier Milei announced during a national broadcast on Wednesday night the signing of a Necessity and Urgency Decree (DNU), a form of executive order, that would modify or overturn an estimated 350 federal economic policies.

Milei’s executive order targeted nearly every aspect of the Argentine economy – including imports, price controls, health care, sports federations, landlord and tenant policies, and the yerba mate industry – in what he described as an attempt to impose a “shock stabilization plan” to prevent a financial catastrophe. Argentina is facing the worst economic crisis of its history as a result of decades of socialist policies, lavish government spending, and corruption, fueling skyrocketing rates of poverty, joblessness, and inflation. The nation’s inflation rate reached 160 percent in the days after Milei’s December 10 inauguration.

Things like price controls have long been a staple in Argentina, and they've been an absolute disaster (just as they have been in every other country throughout history). Protectionist trade policies have also led to increased prices because of a lack of competition in the market (while allowing the left-wing unions to cash in). Also targeted are landlord policies that have forced owners to allow delinquent tenants to stay while limiting what they could charge for rent. 

Of course, because Milei is making some tough choices to save his country that just so happen to clash with left-wing orthodoxy, he's being called a fascist. 

Javier Milei continues his fascist rampage in Argentina.

He has authorised the Privatising of all remaining State owned industries (thats his donors cashing in).

He has also authorised the sale of all Social Housing and removed all rent controls

It is going exactly as expected pic.twitter.com/uSZS5sP6wt

— BladeoftheSun (@BladeoftheS) December 22, 2023

Apparently, one of the hallmarks of fascism is limiting the power of government. Who knew? Of course, that's nonsense. Milei is selling off the state-owned industries because they are failing under government control just as they did in Venezuela and elsewhere. He's selling off government housing and removing rent controls because the current housing market in Argentina was completely warped, making investment nearly impossible. 

There is nothing fascist about that. On the contrary, fascism is marked by increased government control of every aspect of society. That control just occurs in a different way than communism, with the latter relying on direct ownership while the former relies on direct control. Anyone claiming that Milei is a fascist is either incredibly ignorant or shamelessly dishonest. 

The reality is that Argentina has essentially collapsed while under socialist rule. Things are not going to be fixed overnight, and there's plenty of pain left to be felt. Milei is taking bold action to turn things around, though. I would hope the voters there give him the time he needs to reach the end goal. If they don't and instead put the socialists back in power, there won't be anything left to save.