Parties, factions, and voting behavior in the Brazilian Second Republic (1946-1964)

Author(s)

Jaqueline Porto Zulini

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2011-12-16

Examining board members

Paolo Ricci; Marta Teresa da Silva Arretche; Argelina Maria Cheibub Figueiredo

• Advisor: Paolo Ricci

Abstract

The literature tells us that factionalism was the norm in the party system of the Brazils Second Republic (1946-1964). As a result of constant factions within parties, presidential coalitions in the legislature were primarily constructed ad hoc. The objective of this study was to investigate the origin of this argument by analyzing the behavior of legislators on roll call votes in the Chamber of Deputies between 1946 and 1964. The data used in this investigation challenge the conventional wisdom by showing that it was unusual for governing coalitions to need outside help to ensure the adoption of their agendas. Only in the administrations of Getúlio Vargas (1951-1954) and Juscelino Kubistchek (1956-1960) was the support of members of the opposition essential to the approval of government programs, with Vargas agenda being most dependent on this type of support. In general, presidents success arose from the strategic use of verification of quorum, a procedural rule that allowed both the government and the opposition to visualize the division of the forces in the legislature, minimizing Rikers (1962) information effect. Thus, the government could calculate the best political strategy able to ensure victory, independent of opposition support. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/02518-1 - Partisan behavior in the Republic of 46: A study of patterns of support and conflict between Congress and government
• Grantee: Jaqueline Porto Zulini
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master