This article concerns the Brazilian military man and politician; for others see Benjamin Constant (disambiguation)

Benjamin Constant (disambiguation)

Benjamin Constant may be:People* Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant , French painter* Benjamin Constant , cosmopolitan European politician & author Henri Benjamin Constant de Rebecque...

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Benjamin Constant Botelho de Magalhães (Niterói

Niterói

Niterói is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeast region of Brazil. It has an estimated population of 487,327 inhabitants and an area of ², being the sixth most populous city in the state and the highest Human Development Index. Integrates the Metropolitan Region of Rio de...

, 18 October 1836 – Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...

, 22 January 1891) was a Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian military man and political thinker.

He was born at Niterói

Niterói

Niterói is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeast region of Brazil. It has an estimated population of 487,327 inhabitants and an area of ², being the sixth most populous city in the state and the highest Human Development Index. Integrates the Metropolitan Region of Rio de...

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Primarily a positivist, influenced heavily by Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte

Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte , better known as Auguste Comte , was a French philosopher, a founder of the discipline of sociology and of the doctrine of positivism...

, he was the founder of the positivist movement in Brazil (Sociedade Positivista do Brasil, Brazilian Positivist Society), and later this led to his republican

Republicanism

Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...

 views. He left the Brazilian Positivist society because of internal disagreements, but remained an ardent pupil of Comte until the end of his life.

Benjamin Constant had a difficult childhood and attempted suicide

Suicide

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...

 at the age of 12. He served in the War of the Triple Alliance

War of the Triple Alliance

The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...

, and had a large family. He felt underpaid and unhappy as a soldier. An intellectual

Intellectual

An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...

 at heart, he was a great supporter of Comte's Religion of Humanity

Religion of Humanity

Religion of Humanity was a secular religion created by Auguste Comte, the founder of positivist philosophy. Adherents of this religion have built chapels of Humanity in France and Brazil.-Origins:...

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His Republican views led him to found the Clube Militar (or Military Club), with Deodoro da Fonseca

Deodoro da Fonseca

Marshal Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca became the first president of the Republic of Brazil after heading a military coup that deposed Emperor Pedro II and proclaimed the Republic in 1889, disestablishing the Empire of Brazil.- Biography :...

, in May 1887. It was based in the Praia Vermelha Military School, and, shortly before his death, overthrew the emperor and helped establish a republic.

A Brazilian town near the Amazon river was given his name.