Beneath the illusion of Argentine prosperity in democracy lies a dilemma that threatens to ruin all of its achievements in this century.General Juan Domingo Peron was elected in 1949 after six years of military dictatorship, revolutionizing Argentine politics. A divisive figure, he gave political representation to a new generation of disenfranchised workers and greatly expanded their rights, while at the same time censoring and torturing political opposition, creating a cult of personality around himself, and paving the way for extreme polarization in the country.After coup d'Etat in 1955 by anti-Peronist sectors of the Army, Peronism was banned, its founder exiled - and that is how Argentina welcomes 1962. The proscription of the beliefs of one-third of the electorate has proven extremely destabilizing, leading many to denounce Argentine democracy as illegitimate.Political violence rises once more and this disillusionment threatens to destroy Argentina's very foundations, and with it would go Argentine achievements and global status. The current president, Arturo Frondizi, is attempting to stanch this by gradually reintegrating Peronism into political life - but it is yet to be seen how that will fare.