▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁an ▁attempt ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁stabil ize ▁the ▁currency , ▁by ▁introdu cing ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁convert ibility , ▁which ▁restricted ▁the ▁mon et ary ▁authorities ▁to ▁issue ▁paper ▁currency ▁only ▁if ▁it ▁was ▁fully ▁back ed ▁by ▁gold ▁or ▁convert ible ▁foreign ▁currency . ▁The ▁dec ades ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁experienced ▁the ▁most ▁fav ou rable ▁performance ▁of ▁the ▁economy ▁overall , ▁setting ▁the ▁stage ▁for ▁the ▁so - called ▁Golden ▁Age ▁of ▁Argent ine ▁history . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁first ▁years ▁of ▁independence ▁included ▁a ▁difficult ▁economic ▁development . ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁freedom ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁inaug uration ▁of ▁the ▁republic , ▁the ▁country ▁was ▁not ▁econom ically ▁un ited : ▁expansion ▁in ▁some ▁parts ▁and ▁decl ine ▁in ▁other ▁parts . ▁Indeed , ▁people ▁experienced ▁different ▁levels ▁of ▁income ▁and ▁w elf are . ▁ ▁Therefore , ▁it ▁is ▁unclear ▁if ▁this ▁period ▁of ▁time ▁( 1 8 2 0 ▁– ▁ 1 8 7 0 ) ▁brought ▁an ▁income ▁or ▁w elf are ▁improvement . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 6 0 ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁far ming ▁col ony ▁at ▁Es per anza ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 , ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁Argent ine ▁agricult ure ▁gradually ▁shift ed ▁from ▁liv est ock ▁to ▁cro ps . ▁ ▁Ex port - led ▁bo om ▁ ▁Argentina , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁ins ign ific ant ▁during