Manifesto, October 7, 1932
The Integralist Movement
History 395-001
Fascism and Anti-Fascism
Dr. Michael Ortiz
September 22, 2021
Kent A. Trompeter
2
“The Brazilian Nation must be organized, one, indivisible, strong, powerful, rich,
prosperous and happy.”1 At first glance this appears to be a statement by a dictator or want-to-be
dictator of Brazil. Is fascism, communism or even Nazism coming to Brazil? The opening quote
is reminiscent of something that might have been said by Benito Mussolini or even Adolph Hitler,
however an in-depth analysis of this manifesto reveals that it is neither fascist, communist, Marxist
or even a combination of the afore mentioned.
Fascism calls for powerful and continuing nationalism, disregard for human rights,
military supremacy, control of the media, labor unions are suppressed, crime and punishment are
paramount and many more. The manifesto is not advocating for fascism, nor is it calling for a
dictator, monarch, or other forms of what may be considered a fascist government. There is no
call for a powerful military and overthrow of the current government and no overt dentification
of enemies of Brazil. Unlike fascist regimes found in Germany, Chile, Spain, or Italy and others
there is no call for violence and any form of anti-Semitism is condemned in this manifesto,
instead there is a call for embracing everyone, regardless of their ethnic heritage. There is no call
for a revolution, uprising by the populous or any indication of a coup d’état, this document is in
fact an appeal to the citizens and inhabitants of Brazil, be they natural born or immigrants.
Examining each article depicts the writings of one man who wants nothing but the best
for Brazil. His “Conception of Man and the Universe”2 is a call for unity, for the people to live
together in harmony and for the wealthy to help others and the State, for wealth alone “…does
not magnify anyone…”3, in effect he is saying wealth does not last forever so sharing and
helping others is paramount for Brazil to be successful. His understanding of the Brazilian
1
2
Plínio Salgado, Manifesto of October 7, 1932.
Plínio Salgado, Manifesto of October 7, 1932
3
Salgado, Manifesto, np.
3
Nation is not just his understanding but that of his countrymen. Salgado is speaking from the
heart and for all Brazilians. Brazil does not need factions fighting factions, huge political divides
between parties, classes clashing with other classes and individuals within the government
making independent decisions which in some instances may only benefit the few and
marginalize the many. Salgado proposes that all individuals identify and register in whatever
class they fall, be it upper, middle, or lower. Each class will elect representatives to City
Councils, Provincial Councils and General Meetings. These will elect the next higher
representatives and continue until a Chief of Brazil is duly elected and he will appoint the
ministers to advise him in matters of State. In some respect this organization and election of
local, provincial, and national congress is very similar to Russification, “Russification, a
continuation of policies which Nicholas I had pursued: administrative centralization, elimination
of local privileges and other anomalies.”4 “Salgado was a great enthusiast of Italian Fascism,
especially the beginning of the movement. Militants liked to say that Integralism was the
Brazilian Fascism.”5 The preceding quote by Mendes does in fact support a substantial amount
of Salgado’s premises found in the manifesto, it must also be noted that Salgado was a supporter
of Italian fascism in the beginning of Mussolini’s reign in Italy, Salgado did not support the
actions of the fascists after Mussolini achieved total power in Italy, nor did he support
communism or the Nazi movement found in Hitler’s Germany.
Salgado speaks at length about Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism which he describes as
a “…deadly evil to our nationalism.”6 The ‘deadly evil’ of which he speaks is the invasion of
‘foreignness’ into the lives, homes and families of Brazilians. He is not advocating any form of
4
Geoffrey Hosking, “Russia: People and Empire,” in Russia: People and Empire (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1997),
pp. 367.
5
Helen Mendes, Wise Up News, https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/wiseup-news/what-was-the-integralist-movement-the-brazilianfascism/, Oct 2, 2018.
6
Plínio Salgado, Manifesto of October 7, 1932
4
isolationism but for Brazilians to be mindful of their heritage and to be cautious about replacing
Brazilian customs with those of foreigners and foreign countries as he sees happening in the
United States and Europe.7 It should be noted that the time this was written was 1932 and
fascism was rearing its head in Italy, Germany and other European countries, and Salgado was
fearful of fascism coming to Brazil. Further he sees that some Brazilians are embracing
everything foreign, ignoring the customs of the Brazilian people and some are exhibiting forms
of racism towards their black countrymen and ashamed of the caboclo (a person
of mixed Indigenous Brazilian and European ancestry, or, less commonly, a culturally
assimilated or detribalized person of full Amerindian descent.)8 He appeals to all Brazilians to
be mindful of their rich heritages, not showing contempt and dis-respect for local and national
initiatives, focusing on Brazil and not foreign initiatives, ideas and mannerisms. Salgado states
in forceful terms that, “We are against the influence of communism, which represents soviet
capitalism, Russian imperialism, that seeks to reduce us to captaincy.”9 Brazil will implement a
government with the three branches of government, executive, legislative and judicial and will
not be deterred from their path to be … Brazil!
The Manifesto of October 7, 1932, is no more a call for a fascist government, regime or
anything fascist, then the Declaration of Independence. It is a call, no it is a plea to all Brazilians
and foreigners who live in Brazil to embrace Brazil, its customs, its initiatives and to work as a
team for the betterment of all Brazilians and to not be coerced in believing that ‘the grass is
greener on the other side of the street.’ It is an appeal to support the leader of Brazil, whomever
it might be, and to prevent the powerful, the foreigners and external as well as internal political
7
Salgado, Manifesto, 2.
www.britanica.com/brazil
9
Plínio Salgado, Manifesto of October 7, 1932
8
5
groups which seek to undermine the government and its policies for individual gain at the
expense of Brazil and its citizens.
6
Bibliography
Hosking, Geoffrey. Essay. In Russia: People and Empire, 301–. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press, 1997.
Mendes, Helen, Wise Up News, https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/wiseup-news/what-was-theintegralist-movement-the-brazilian-fascism/, Oct 2, 2018.
Salgado, Plinio, Manifesto of October 7, 1932
Salgado Plínio, Manifesto of October 7, 1932, https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/wiseupnews/what-was-the-integralist-movement-the-brazilian-fascism/, Oct. 2, 2018.
www.britanica.com/brazil