POLS 220 Lecture 11: Brazil
Document Summary
Why brazil matters: it is latin america" booming giant, offers lessons in democracy and economic prosperity, has modernized out of the military tendencies, example of modernization. Impact of the past: economic life centered on sugar. Labor intensive: brazilians were few and made poor slaves, reliance on enslaved africans, interbreeding resulted, creates brazil"s complex racial mixture and little racism in the public. The economy changed under his rule in favor of businessmen and bankers rather than landowners. Reluctance to end slavery undermined the legitimacy of the monarchy. Modernization was desired and in 1889 a military coup introduced a republic without a shot being fired. As conservative political bosses fell out of favor with the masses idealistic army officers revolted in 1922 and 1925. Army saw itself ad a progressive force( still does) Vargas was a poor president his second terms. Brazil split into leftist and conservative wings with the little middle ground.