Coronelismo
Encyclopedia
Coronelismo was the system of machine politics in Brazil
under the Old Republic
(1889-1930). Known also as the "rule of the coronels", the term referred to the classic boss system under which the control of patronage
was centralized in the hands of a locally dominant oligarch
known as a coronel, particularly under Brazil's Old Republic, who would dispense favors in return for loyalty.
The patron-client political machines of the countryside enabled agrarian oligarchs, especially coffee
planters in the dominant state of São Paulo
to dominate state structures to their advantage, particularly the weak central state structures that effectively devolved power to local agrarian oligarchies.
In time, growing trade, commerce, and industry in São Paulo
would serve to undermine the domination of the republic's politics by the São Paulo landed gentry (dominated by the coffee industry) and Minas Gerais
(dominated by dairy interests)—known then by observers as the politics of café com leite
("coffee with milk"). Under Getúlio Vargas
, Brazil moved toward a more centralized state structure that has served to regularize and modernize state governments, moving toward universal suffrage
and secret ballot
s, gradually freeing Brazilian politics from the grips of coronelismo. However, the legacy of the coffee oligarchs is still strongly visible. Brazilian politics is still known for being highly patrimonial, oligarchic, and personalistic.
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...
under the Old Republic
History of Brazil (1889-1930)
The period of Brazilian history from 1889 to 1930 is commonly called the República Velha . The República Velha ended in 1930 with a military coup that installed a dictator.-Overview:...
(1889-1930). Known also as the "rule of the coronels", the term referred to the classic boss system under which the control of patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
was centralized in the hands of a locally dominant oligarch
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
known as a coronel, particularly under Brazil's Old Republic, who would dispense favors in return for loyalty.
The patron-client political machines of the countryside enabled agrarian oligarchs, especially coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
planters in the dominant state of São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
to dominate state structures to their advantage, particularly the weak central state structures that effectively devolved power to local agrarian oligarchies.
In time, growing trade, commerce, and industry in São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
would serve to undermine the domination of the republic's politics by the São Paulo landed gentry (dominated by the coffee industry) and Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
(dominated by dairy interests)—known then by observers as the politics of café com leite
Café com leite
Café com leite was a term that referred to the domination of Brazilian politics under the Old Republic by the landed gentries of São Paulo and Minas Gerais...
("coffee with milk"). Under Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas served as President of Brazil, first as dictator, from 1930 to 1945, and in a democratically elected term from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, the most for any President, and second in Brazilian history to Emperor Pedro II...
, Brazil moved toward a more centralized state structure that has served to regularize and modernize state governments, moving toward universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
and secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
s, gradually freeing Brazilian politics from the grips of coronelismo. However, the legacy of the coffee oligarchs is still strongly visible. Brazilian politics is still known for being highly patrimonial, oligarchic, and personalistic.