Brazil Under Vargas
1932—1954
IB Objectives
 Latin America’s responses to the Depression: either
G Vargas or the Concordancia in Argentina; Import
Substitution Industrialization (ISI) or any relevant
case study of a Latin American country
IB Paper 3 Sample Questions
 Compare and contrast the rise to power of two
populist leaders in Latin America between 1945 and
1979.
 For what reasons was Getulio Vargas’s era (1930–
1945) a significant turning point in Brazilian history?
 Examine the methods used and the conditions which
helped the rise to power of one single party state
leader in one country of Latin America in the
first half of the twentieth century.
IB Paper 3 Sample Questions
 How did either Getulio Vargas of Brazil or
Juan Perón of Argentina gain and retain the
support of the urban workers?
 For what reasons, and with what success, was there
opposition to the Vargas regime between 1930 and
1945?
 For what reasons, and what with results, did Populist
movements emerge in Latin America in the first half
of the twentieth century? Support your answer with
specific examples from one country of the region.
IB Paper 3 Sample Questions
 For what reasons, and by what means, did either
Perón or Vargas obtain power?
 Assess the nature and effectiveness of opposition to
either Juan Domingo Perón (1946–55) or
Getulio Vargas (1930–45).
 Analyse the aims and achievements of one populist
leader in Latin America in the first half of the
twentieth century.
 In what ways, and with what results, did either
Perón or Vargas pursue populist policies?
Lecture Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Sao Paulo
Political Reforms
Estado Novo
Estado Novo and ISI
Brazil and WWII
Effects of the War
Key Terms
 Estado Novo
Sao Paulo
 Vargas spent his first years in office taking power
away from Sao Paulo.
 The Sao Paulo oligarchy would not accept the
changes and in July 1932 the state militia rose in
revolt against Vargas.
 By September federal troops had defeated the rebels.
Political Reforms
 In February 1932 Vargas established the secret
ballot, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, and
extended the vote to women.
 95% of Brazilians still remained ineligible to vote.
 Since Vargas ruled as a dictator there were no
national elections between 1930 and 1945.
 July 1934 a new constitution retained the country’s
federal system but considerably strengthened the
powers of the executive.
Estado Novo
 November 1935 the left began an armed uprising
that was quickly crushed.
 November 10, 1937 Vargas canceled the 1938
presidential election, dissolved Congress and
assumed dictatorial power under a new constitution
patterned on European fascist models.
Estado Novo and ISI
 Industrial production doubled between 1931 and
1936.
 By 1941 Brazil had 44,100 plants employing 944,000
workers compared to 13,336 plants with about
300,000 workers in 1920.
 The German bank for South America established
300 branches in Brazil.
 Foreign investment grew and by 1940 foreign capital
represented 44% of the total investment in Brazilian
stock companies.
Impact of Estado Novo on Brazil
 Heavy control and regulation by government
 Censorship
 Rhetoric outpaced reality
Picking a Side
 In November 1940 Brazil and the US signed a secret
agreement that allowed the US to build airfields on
the Brazilian bulge.
 In January 1942 Brazil broke diplomatic relations
with Germany and German U-boats began to sink
Brazilian merchant ships.
 In May 1942, after losing 2 ships to German
submarines, Mexico declared war on Germany
increasing the pressure on Brazil to do the same.
Picking a Side
 In August 1942 10 German submarines attacked
Brazilian coastal shipping. A Brazilian troop
transport ship was sunk killing 257 Brazilian
soldiers.
 Pres. Roosevelt sent anti-submarine ships to the
Brazilian navy and instructed the US embassy to
purchase surplus coffee, cacao, and Brazil nuts.
 On August 22, 1942 Brazil declared war on Germany.
Brazil Joins the Fight
 Roosevelt and Vargas met in late January 1943.
 In July 1944 the first wave of what would total
25,344 Brazilian troops were sent to Italy.
 Brazil lost 1,889 soldiers and sailors, 31 merchant
ships, 3 warships, and 22 fighter aircraft.
 Brazil received 70% of all US Lend-Lease equipment
sent to Latin America.
Effects of the War
 Vargas announced an amnesty for political prisoners,
allowed political parties to function openly and set
December 2, 1945 as the date for elections.
 In 1946 General Eurico Dutra was elected president.
 In 1950 Vargas ran for president again and won.
 August 24, 1954 the military ordered Vargas to
resign or be deposed and the 72 year old Vargas
committed suicide.