"La oligarquia" (Oligarchy) is the name given by Peronism to Argentina's wealthy laned aristocracy, which was the dominant class in Argentine politics prior to the ascent of president Hipolito Yrigoyen in 1916. Among the charges levelled by Peronism and the left against this class was that they showed little interest in expanding beyond farming, allowing foreign companies, (mainly British), to build the Argentine railway system, as well most industrial facilities and public utilities.