Transcript Introduction to Brazilian Politics

BRAZIL
Struggle for Unity, Economic
Modernization and Upward International
Mobility: 1823 - 1964
Regions of Brazil
REGIONS I

The heartland
(Southeast - 42% population, 60%GDP, 11%
area)
The south
(15% population, 17%
GDP, 7% area)
 The center-west ( 8% population, 6%
GDP, 25% area)

Regions of Brazil
REGIONS II

the north
(6% population, 3%
GDP, 40% area)

the northeast
(29% population, 13%
GDP 18% area)
PEOPLE





Amerindians
Portuguese
African-Brazilians
Japanese
Other Europeans
◦ Spanish
◦ Germans
◦ Italians
Road to INDEPENDENCE
(1808 – 1824)
Portuguese Court taken by British fleet
to Rio de Janeiro
 Centralization under Joao VI
 End of the Napoleonic Wars
 British aid Brazilian Independence

Empire (1824-1889)
◦ Primacy of British Economic
Influence
◦ Plantation Economy
 Coffee
 Cacao
 Sugar
◦ Issue of Slavery
◦ French Orientation of Royal Court
◦ Conspiracy of the Fazenderos
First Republic 1889-1930
Decentralization
 The Coffee Economy

◦ Shift to São Paulo
◦ Reinvestment of profits from coffee

Dominant States
◦ São Paulo
◦ Minas Gerias
◦ Rio Grande do Sul
Rise of Getúlio Vargas
The revolution of
1930
 São Paulo revolt
(1932-37)
 O Estado Novo
(1937-45)
◦ Populist
◦ Military support
at the beginning

Brazilian Participation in World War
II leads to downfall of Vargas
Brazilian army fights in the Italian Theatre
 Initial performance discredits Vargas
with the armed forces s
 Returning military overthrows Vargas
 Beginning of alienation between United
States and the Brazilian left

Second Republic: Democracy
Frustrated (1946-1964)

Constitution of 1946
◦ Modeled on U.S. constitution
◦ Structure so as not to threaten the large land owners of the
Northeast

Political Parties
◦
◦
◦
◦
UND
PSD
PTB
Regional - local parties
Second Republic: Vargas Returns
(1951-1954)

Vargas: “The Last Hurrah”

Vargas wins as candidate of PTB
◦ Military officer corps remains suspicious
◦ Efforts to advance social revolution frightens
the middle class
◦ Military exercises its “Mediating power”
Juscelino Kubitscheck Builds Brasilia – 800
miles from the coast
Brasilia: Modern Latin American Capital
City
Janio Quadros
President: 31 January 1961 - 25 August 1961
Reform governor of
São Paulo
 First “UDN
candidate” to be
elected president
 Resignation after
less than one year i
office

◦ Surprises the military
◦ Frustrates UDN
◦ Weakens the
democratic regime
João Goulart in power 1961-64)
◦ Temporary switch to
parliamentary system
◦ Goulart assumes full power
(1962)
◦ Efforts to create a pro-Vargas
majority
 Courting peasants in the
Northeast
 Strengthing labor-based
infrastructure of the PTB
 Courting the urban poor
 Anti-American nationalism
End of the Second Republic

Pressures for Military Intervention
◦ Conflictual social polarization
◦ Middle class fears of workers
◦ Attempt to divide the military along
officer – enlisted lines
◦ Role of the United States government
Coup of April 1, 1964
Humberto Castelo
Branco assumes
power
 Military demobilizes
potential opponents

◦ President Goulart flees
to Uruguay
◦ Key elected officials of
PTB removed from
office

Demobilization
portrayed as
temporary