The formation of Brazilian society. Economic, political and religious aspects (XVIth – XXth century).

Abstract

This article studies the traditional economic, political and religious alienation in Brazilian society. This retrospective study will analyze the causes and consequences of this alienation, from colonial times until the mid-twentieth century. It was only in the 1940's that Brazilian people began, slowly, to have a voice in the decision taking processes that affected their fate. Brazilian society was established under the aegis of Catholicism, the official religion of the State until 1891, and was ruled by an elite that dominated the economic, political and religious spheres, controlling all the means that were necessary to keep them in power. The underprivileged majority, without any political participation, lived on the crumbs within the acceptable limits for the elite. This process was methodical and systematic. In the mid-twentieth century, for reasons that will be discussed in this article, there was a brief but intense popular interest in taking control of their own fate. This phenomenon was soon aborted by the historical happenings that marked the 1960’s. This study will focus in pondering: is there really a possibility of change in the Brazilian society or is it an unachievable utopia?