Brazil under Getúlio Vargas(1930-1954)

Economic Impact of WWI

Decline and Fall of the Old Republic 1914-30

Coffee: The Cash Crop

Decline and Fall of the Old Republic 1914-30 Cont.

“Coffee picking” Francisco de Miranda (1750-1816)

Industrialization: Increases in industrialization were concentrated in light industry such as textiles and food prod.

Decline and Fall of the Old Republic 1914-30 Cont.

Growth of Working Class and the Bourgeoisie

Decline and Fall of the Old Republic 1914-30 Cont.

On account of the numbers of Spaniards and Portuguese in Santos and the violence and ideological steadfastness of the strikers there, the city was affectionately nicknamed the "Barcelona of Brazil" and the syndicalist and anarchist workers were indebted for some of their most telling victories over the owners of Santos docks

Favelas

Decline and Fall of the Old Republic 1914-30 Cont.

Samba!

Decline and Fall of the Old Republic 1914-30 Cont.

Brazil still largely rural in the 1920’s;

Workers earn very little wages (60 cents a day) worked long hrs 6x a week.

Malnutrition, parasitic diseases, and lack of med facilities limited the avg life span to 28 yrs.

Postwar Industry and Labor

Political Unrest

Português do Brasil: Revolta dos 18 do Forte de Copacabana: da esquerda para direita, tenentes Eduardo Gomes, Siqueira Campos, Nílton Prado e o civil Otávio Correia

Portrait Luis Carlos Prestes 

ECONOMIC CRISIS SERVES AS BACKDROP

Tremendous burden on working class (always suffering the most!) wage cuts, unemployment, etc.

Growing rift between power brokers – urban vs. rural – forms two political coalitions…

ELECTION OF 1930

Made up of Rural Coffee Oligarchy (led by Sao Paulo ranchers, commercial bourgeoisie (import/exporters)

THE OLD GUARD!

Nominated João Pessoa for President

STATUS QUO; Politics of café com leite

CONSERVATIVE COALITION

The 1930 Revolt:◦ Revolt against

São Paulo dominance

◦ Desire to modernize Brazil (tenentes)

◦ Military interest in politics

◦ Some fascination with fascist movements in Europe

◦ Crisis of Great

Depression

Vargas and the Bourgeois Revolution, 1930-1954

His terms on the Presidency can be divided in four different periods: ◦ Provisory Government (1930 – 1934)

◦ Constitutional government (1934 - 1937)

◦ the New State (Estado Novo - 1937 - 1945)

◦ President elected (1951 - 1954)

Getulio Vargas and the Estado Novo

The Constitutionalist Revolution

1937: Estado Novo

Estado Novo: Propaganda

The "Conselho Nacional do Petróleo" (CNP) (National Oil Advisor)

The "Departamento Administrativo do Serviço Público" (DASP) (The Administration Department of Public Service)

The "Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional" (CSN) (National Iron Smelting Company)

The "Companhia Vale do Rio Doce" (Rio Doce Valley Company)

The "Companhia Hidro-Elétrica do São Francisco" (São Francisco Hydroelectric Company)

The "Fábrica Nacional de Motores" (FNM) (National Motor Plant)

1937: Estado Novo

The Election of Vargas

Brazil During WWII

State Intervention in economy more than ever before!

1940: Five Year Plan to expand heavy industry, develop hydroelectric power and railway network

1920 – Over 13,000 plants and 300,000 workers 1941 – 44,100 plants and almost one MILLION

workers Big boom in foreign investment as well- 44

percent of total investment in stock companies by 1940

ESTADO NOVO ECONOMIC MEASURES

ECONOMIC:- Accelerated industrialization further

- Exportation of tremendous amount of raw materials

POLITICAL: -Played up on Axis/Allied rivalry: Secured

concessions from the U.S. to build HUGE iron and steel plant after Vargas’ warned he might turn to the Germans!

By August of 1942 Brazil declares war on Germany

World War II – OPPORTUNITIES!

AN AUTHORITARIAN DECLARING WAR ON

FASCISM?

Vargas reestablishes political parties and declares an open campaign season

announces he will not run; sets the stage for a grass roots movement to convince him to do so.

All the while, he makes a SWING back to the left, proclaiming himself to be a “father to the poor”

This worries conservatives both at home and abroad.

October 29, 1945: Vargas overthrown in a coup by military officers

Presidential Elections called for on December 2, 1945

Eurico Dutra is elected President.

Adopted Laissez Faire Economic Policy

Fully opened Brazil to foreign investment

Pro US, strong anti communist

(Cold War)

Dutra Period 1946-1951

The Return of Vargas: 1950-54

The Death of Vargas (1954)