Revisiting the cordial man

a critical analysis of Sérgio Buarque de Holanda’s conception

Abstract

This article aims to carry out a critical analysis of the concept of the cordial man by Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, as presented in his work Raízes do Brasil. Initially, the text explores the concept of a cordial man, which refers to the figure of a Brazilian characterized by cordiality in social relations, but who, at the same time, carries a trait of submission, resulting from Portuguese cultural heritage. This concept, according to the author, would be at the root of corrupt practices in Brazilian politics, where voters and politicians share mutual responsibility for corruption. By associating corruption with the poorest population, predominantly made up of black and mixed-race people, the concept of the cordial man obscures the broader dimensions of racism in Brazil, making invisible the role of elites and businesspeople in maintaining structures of power and oppression. Disguised racial racism thus becomes a form of hidden segregation, validated by the social construction itself that marginalizes certain groups in the name of "cordiality". The cordial man not only diverts attention from the responsibilities of the elites but also perpetuates a distorted view of Brazilian social reality, hiding structural racism and its disguised forms. To carry out this study, the hypothetical-deductive approach method was adopted, which allows starting from situations previously formulated and tested through a critical analysis of existing literature. Bibliographical research is used as the main research technique, enabling a grounded and contextualized reflection on the issues raised.