Continuities of Brazilian social and political thought

• Grant number: 07/52480-5
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2008
• End date: April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - Political Theory
• Principal Investigator: Elide Rugai Bastos
• Grantee: Elide Rugai Bastos
• Host Institution: Centro de Estudos de Cultura Contemporânea (CEDEC). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais:( Últimos ): Bernardo Ricupero
• Pesquisadores principais:( Antigos ): Gildo Marçal Bezerra Brandão
• Associated scholarship(s): 08/07792-1 - Tradition and Prophecy: the political thought of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops and its social and intelectual context (1952-1964)., BP.MS

Abstract

The research's aim is to map out and understand the main intellectual traits of Brazilian conservatism, liberalism and socialism. To this end, we intend to ascertain whether the concepts of ‘organic idealism’ and ‘constitutional idealism’, originally elaborated in a different way by Oliveira Vianna, are adequate to describe and appraise the main ‘forms of thought’ and ‘intellectual families’ predominant in Brazil since the last quarter of the Nineteenth century. In addition, we will mark out the counter current and anti-aristocratic ideas outlined during the country's industrialization process, related specially to ‘middle class radicalism’ and ‘communist Marxism’ that served as inspiration for the social and economic reforms advanced until neo-Iiberalisms predominance. Finally, a hypothesis about how these currents responded to Brazil's political development will be submitted. In this sense, we will analyze both the content of ideologies and worldviews as well as the ‘forms of thought’ subjacent to them - i.e., the intellectual structures and theoretical categories through which reality is perceived, practical experience elaborated and political action organized. As part of the project, we will undertake a critical assessment of the state of the art of research on Brazilian political and social thought, Special attention will be paid to determine whether specialized investigation currently underway in universities does present a break with what is generally known as ‘interpretations of Brazil’. (AU)