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How did Milei use ethos and pathos to establish a public image that convinced the Argentinians to vote for him?

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Against a backdrop of prolonged economic crisis characterized by an inflation rate of 140% and a poverty rate of 40% (Worthington & Clarke, 2023), the disaffection of a significant portion of the Argentines with established political factions resulted in the recent triumph of Javier Milei, a right-wing economist with libertarian and radical ideas. This victory was propelled by disruptive economic proposals, complemented by an assertive demeanor and controversial rhetoric that distinctly defined the candidate's political approach. Central to his policy agenda are proposals encompassing the privatization of state enterprises and comprehensive reforms to the health and education systems. Additionally, he advocates for the elimination of the Central Bank and the implementation of a dollarized economy. This background disrupts the conventional paradigm of 'traditional' politics, which appears to be shifting towards a more emotive rather than logical terrain. As the popularity of right-wing parties becomes increasingly imminent on the global stage, it's crucial to take a closer look at the tools and tactics they employ to gain political power.

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As there is a rise of social media usage, social media platforms have become the means for political communication.

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Milei was able to break with the scheme of traditional political campaigns, showcasing his political proposals through these platforms.

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The symbol of the lion not only caricatures Milei's physical appearance and untamed hair, but also alludes to character traits and values with positive connotations. Through using the lion symbol he specifically wants to be associated with:

Strength, bravery and courage

Authority, ferocity and leadership

Fighting spirit for values such as justice and dignity

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15 seconds to 1 minute videos

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For example:

Cornfield chase by Hans Zimmer

Experience by Pietro Scichilone

As the World Caves In by Sara Cothran

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The TikTok videos prominently feature his political ideologies, with his most viewed videos often showcasing his most 'daring' proposals. Throughout, the camera consistently focuses on his face, positioning him as the central figure in a visual storytelling.

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Social media platforms, such as Tiktok, allowed Milei to project an appealing image of himself and maximize the impact on voters.

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This premise prompts the question that leads our analysis.

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Strength and courage to adopt drastic economic measures

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Strength and courage to adopt drastic economic measures

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The lion as the apex predator metaphorically stands for Milei's determination

Enforce drastic measures against soaring inflation

Replace the peso with the U.S. dollar; prevent politicians to print money

Tear down corrupt government and unproductive bureaucratic institutions to establish minimal government

The measures should ensure the economic survival and prosperity of his "lion pride".

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When Milei was a political candidate for the presidency, it was nototrious how he fed off mediatic controversy. Block and Negrine (2017) provide insights as to how populist may use multiple channels of political communication to transmit their messages and connect with the public. Such insights can support as to how Milei establishes ethos and pathos.

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Authority and dominance over the "establishment"

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Authority and dominance over the "establishment"

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The symbol of the lion subtly communicates Milei's

authority to purge the “Political caste” (The Associated Press, 2023) from Argentina’s government

dominance over the corrupt political elite

willingness to fight to return Argentina to an unspecified period of greatness

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Spirit to fight for cultural values such as justice and dignity

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Spirit to fight for cultural values such as justice and dignity

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Milei not only sees himself as a right-leaning politician but as a culture warrior. He gained prominence in “global culture war” which is also fought in the US and Brazil.

That he was able to change Argentina's prevailing collectivist narrative, replacing it with his libertarian "anarchy-capitalist" ideals proved that he can win the battle of ideas.

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Milei does not only use the lion symbol for himself, he extends it to his supporters as well:

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Milei does not only use the lion symbol for himself, he extends it to his supporters as well:

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“I did not come here to herd sheep but to awaken lions”

(Sandra, 2023)

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Using this quote almost every time he spoke in front of crowds, he asks individuals not rely on government assistance, but to take the risk of embracing freedom.

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Positioning himself as a "non-traditional politician" Milei emerges as a disruptive force aiming to shatter the prevailing status quo in the country. His agenda stands in stark contrast to the current norms, challenging established practices such as the protection of workers' rights through taxes and bonuses, social plans, and the support of national industries. His vision advocates for a streamlined state, championing a liberal economic framework where the government's role is minimized. In this perspective, Milei contends that the state's sole responsibility should be safeguarding individual liberties, underscoring a transformative approach to governance and economic principles.

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In the short TikTok video, the use of concise language is key.

Milei by simply explaining a portion of his government plan was to able to communicate his message in a way that resonated very well with the young audience. It is important to note that he doesn't go into the technicalities of it but his attention grabbing performance allows it to be persuasive.

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His username "ElpelucaMilei" translates to "The wig Milei". Such illustrates how he utilises mediatic commentaries of his physical appearance to his advantage, even in social media platforms, making him seem more approachable to the audience, adding strength of his ethos.

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The tone and the volume of his voice are strong, which come off as dramatic and assertive. This captivates the atention of the audience and reinforces his view of the ‘minimal state’.

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The acting out of taking out these ministries provides a visual aid for the audience to understand his political proposals clearly. Due to his aggressiveness in front of the camera he is consistent with the image that has been built of him as a "hot-tempered personality".

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The key tactics that Milei uses based on Block and Negrine (2017):

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1. Playing the "underdog"  → Milei was always seen as a 'political outsider'. He positions himself as an advocate for the 'Argentines of good’, passing himself off as a sincere figure, coming to put an end to political corruption once and for all.

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2. The use of "abrasive speech" → He contrasts the language of 'truth' with the language of political corruption; to do so, he focuses on criticizing political power. His critiques are often interpreted as blunt and 'unfiltered'.

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3. Earning media spaces by a “bullying” style against the establishment → Much of Milei's campaign was centred around labelling the opposition party as the political 'caste'. The libertarian president articulated that 'caste' refers to individuals in politics characterized by immorality. According to him, this group is composed of those who enact policies that are detrimental to the populace's well-being. He vehemently denounced them, depicting this group as a ‘plague’ that must be addressed to pave the way for national progress.

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4. Staging “newsworthy” political events → By actively staging and participating in events that capture media attention, Milei leverages the public spotlight to disseminate his political ideologies and critiques.

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These tactics are relevant in understanding the way Milei builds his persona through ethos and pathos. By playing as the "underdog", use of abrasive speech and staging "newsworthy" political events he creates an inflammatory and passionate rhetoric. This deliberate choice of rhetoric aims to elicit strong emotional responses from the audience and reinforcing pathos, which creates a powerful connection between the public and Milei. The abrasive speech and provocative actions amplify his image as a disruptor, drawing attention to his campaign and establishing his ethos as a worthy candidate capable of leading Argentina. The usage of these tactics has allowed Milei's political campaign to be successful in obtaining votes, captivating the frustration with previous political candidates.

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Milei here has a board with all the ministries that make up Argentina's government (the blue boxes within the board). He starts naming them one by one and them riping them off and saying "Afuera!" which translates to "Out!". Taking out a majority of the ministries was part of his proposed government plan. He finishes off the video with his trademark phrase "Viva la Libertad cajaro!" which translates to ‘Long live freedom damn it!' and pointing out to the camera. By ending the tik tok in such way he manages to keep his message short but still have a consistent narrative as other tiktoks, reinforcing his ethos to the audience.

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In relation to the theory, the language, body language and tone aids in strengthening his pathos and ethos. By utilising concise language and even one word phrases like "Out!" without giving explanation or context appears to the audience as persuasive. Milei's tone and volume, as well as his overemphasized body movements, also fit well with the ethos he has created throughout his campaign– he embodies a disruptive force in Argentinian politics.

Additionally, the key tactics as discussed by Block and Negrine (2017) are also present in the tiktok. It is clear that by 'riping off' the ministries from the board and saying "Out!" he is criticising the political power and earning media spaces by a “bullying” style against the establishment. These tactics add on to the pathos and ethos that Milei portrays.

Moreover, the fact that it is published in a social media platform allows it to have a wider immediate audience. This plays to his advantage to persuade Argentinians to vote for him.

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The tiktoks in a way serve as short stories that presents Milei’s persona and his political ideologies. These project an appealing and consistent ethos of Milei. This maximizes the impact on voters.

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Milei's public interaction with voters is characterised by an emotive and eccentric appearance. Additionally, he uses his identity as a 'political outsider' to position himself away from the political "caste" and towards the people. Thereby benefitting from the widespread discontent among Argentinians and persuading them to vote for him.

The strategies Milei employs are fitting with those that Widmann (2020) identifies as typically populist. A strong leader is a key feature in populist parties, this makes the analysis of Milei's public appearance particularly relevant. Milei relies on enthusiastic emotional appeals for his success, particularly profiting from negative emotions and an "anti-establishment" stance.

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Characteristics of his public appearance

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Characteristics of his public appearance

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Among the crowd

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Big and emotive hand movements:

Reaching out to people

In the air

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Intense and overemphasized emotional facial expressions when meeting the crowd

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Characteristic look

Hairstyle

Black leather jacket

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This is what poverty looks like in Argentina.

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This is what poverty looks like in Argentina.

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To successfully persuade the Argentinian public Milei builds his persona as a 1. fearless warrior, 2. a realistic leader for change and 3. a charismatic member of the people.

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This analysis will use several theoretical frameworks to understand how Javier Milei strategically leverages his persona by relying on ethos and pathos as central elements in his political campaign. His public image is crafted to be bold, unapologetically outspoken and disruptive, setting him apart from traditional political figures in Argentina. Milei's ability to transmit emotion and logical arguments (through mostly economic logic) has built his persona, which allows him to connect with voters who may feel disillusioned with established political norms.

To build such a persona Milei portrays himself in three main ways:

1. As a fearless warrior

2. As a leader for change

3. A charismatic member of the people

Such traits are evoked by an effective use of ethos and pathos throughout his political campaign. As explained by Leith (2012):

Ethos

Refers to credibility, trustworthiness, and authority established by the speaker or writer.

Pathos

Refers to the emotional appeal used to evoke feelings and connect with the audience's emotions.

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The lion symbolism supports Milei's ethos. Specifically, it leads the audience to believe that the Milei is competent, trustworthy, and speaking in good faith (Leith, 2012).

Milei's competence derives from his background as an economist, yet it takes effect through his leonine courage to implement this knowledge.

His trustworthiness is expressed by his authority, however, the lion symbolism communicates leadership in good faith alluding to a lion's bold but caring defense of his "pride".

Appealing to a sense of community, the lion symbol also taps into pathos by evoking emotions of fierceness, hope, and a fighting spirit which resonated strongly with the Argentinian people who felt at the mercy of economic downturn and political establishment for such a long time.

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Milei's public appearance is highly dramatic, involving big movements and displays of emotion. The display of passion is central to strengthening both his ethos and his pathos. He presents himself as highly invested in the issues of the people, using his emotional displays to evoke a feeling of connection and identification with his voters. Thereby strengthening his ethos.

His emotional appearance also reinforces his pathos. He benefits from emotional and angry voters which are a product of the socio-political situation in Argentina. His emotive appearance resonates with frustrated voters and evokes passionate responses in turn.

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Unlike other politicians, Milei wears a leather jacket instead of a suit at his public appearance. Furthermore, instead of positioning himself above or in front of the crowd he is often seen directly among it. He strengthens his ethos by showing voters that he is one of them and involved in their issues.

Milei tries to maintain his image as a 'political outsider'. He distances himself from traditional politics, and thereby the political "caste", which has largely left Argentinian voters with a feeling of disenfranchisement.

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Milei meets the characteristics of a typically populist leader. He relies on dramatic and emotive appearances and positions himself towards the people (Widmann, 2020). His public appearance is particularly effective because it engages with angry and disenfranchised voters.

This approach strengthens both his ethos and his pathos.

Ethos: identification with voters & part of 'the people' not the political "caste"

Pathos: appeals to emotions of anger and discontent.

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How did Milei use ethos and pathos to establish a public image that convinced the Argentinians to vote for him?

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To conclude, through the Aristotelean method, as discussed by Leith (2012), ethos and pathos are key in Javier Milei's rhetoric. Ethos and Pathos are present in the three artifacts: the symbol of the lion, the effective use of social media and his interaction with the public. Through the artifacts it is illustrated that analyzing Milei’s rhetoric reveals a strategic employment of ethos and pathos. Javier Milei leverages his persona as a central element in his political approach. His public image is crafted to be courageous, unapologetically outspoken, disruptive, and emotional, setting him apart and purposely distancing him from more traditional political figures. Milei's compelling public image serves as a powerful communication tool, allowing him to resonate with Argentinian voters who feel disillusioned with established political norms.

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Milei's public appearance is emotive and dramatic and thereby resonates with frustrated voters (pathos). He also strategically positions himself among the people, distancing himself from the political "caste" (ethos).

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The lion symbolizes fierceness and strength. Milei's association with this character creates an image of authority as well as competence, thereby strengthening his ethos. Furthermore, it reinforces the pathos of his campaign by arousing a spirit of fighting.

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The short-form content was a key part of his political campaign and set him apart from traditional campaigns. On the platform, he presents his persona and ideologies to a large immediate audience. The use of inflammatory rhetoric through 'newsworthy' staging and abrasive language reinforces his pathos. Meanwhile, he strengthens his ethos through his dramatic performance style which fortifies his image as a disruptor.

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Understanding the role of these persuasive communication techniques is increasingly relevant in current global politics, where emotive and inflammatory rhetoric has become evermore central to amassing political support.