The Empty ATM: Inside Argentina's Broken Economy

©2002

In December 2001, the Argentine government defaulted on $155 billion in public debt. This Wide Angle documentary describes the economic disintegration of the once affluent country, examining its political quagmire and the collapse of its currency. Showing various methods that citizens use to survive in a broken economy—ranging from the ingenious, such as barter clubs for exchanging goods and services, to the brutal, including outbreaks of rioting—the program demonstrates what happens when basic government services vanish. It also asks: how can the people of Argentina put their society back together? In addition, former World Bank Chief Economist Joseph Stiglitz talks with anchor Jamie Rubin. (57 minutes)