As with Soviet era
Eastern Europe previously, given the general western ignorance of
South America and subsequent simplistic interpretation of what was
once called a “dark continent”, it was deemed useful to
previously provide a quite detailed political chronology, itself
driven by the tension between the socio-economic influences of the
poor vs the rich.
A History of
Immigration and Diversity -
Centuries long
bitterness has existed, and still obviously exudes today with
attempted Olympic disruption. But local rebellion was typically quickly and
heavily quashed by the land owning, governing 'martial elite' with
local forces akin to to Japan's regional Samuri. However, as history has shown, infrequently full-scale revolution would spring setting new forces into play, but even herein would subsequently be handled by
that elite, itself using spies and agent provocatuers to infiltrate or subtly redirect events and critical outcomes.
This the hallmark of many Latin American countries through the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
This the hallmark of many Latin American countries through the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
This polemic inevitable
given the heavily socially (ie class) structured origins of Brazil
and the effective Feudalism that intrinsically existed, the composition of
which only started to alter after the 1930 Revolution and through the
subsequent efforts toward social restructuring and general
improvement for all.
However thus far that entrenched orientation of ethnographic mix within a mosaic society still largely delineates a person's relative position and associated life opportunities.
Thus most Native and
Afro-Latin peoples previously used as slave labour have effectively
remained as 'cheap labour', resulting from high birth rates, the big
family and community mentality for group assistance and poor educational access.
Those foreign groups
who came to Brazil as middle-class merchants (Portugese, Spanish,
Germans, French, Italians, Japanese, Chinese, Indians and other
Asian) have largely remained as such; able to trade and having gained
footholds in banking, politics and as owners of diversified industrial
and service firms; and so continued to predicate much of their
current upper middle-class baring, putting formal and informal
self-education high on their list of priorities.
Whilst the distant
descendants of the original instigators of modern Brazil (typically
Portugese and Spanish) retain much economic and political power as
the effective de-facto owners of its lands, agriculture and
commodities extraction rights, aswell as growing expansive vertical
and horizontal business interests, from transportation companies to
restaurants, to create sector based spheres of
scaled efficiency.
In short a social
structure which from top to bottom sees the typical attitudes of:
Top -
Self-Perpetuation,
Mid - Self-Eduction
Low - Self-Preservation
From this perspective,
for all the cynical criticism of the engrained power systems, or hype
about the potentiality of the ethnic melting pot, in basic social
structure Brazil is little different to all other EM countries, where although slowly changing, the engrained reality still predominates.
A Much Hybridised
Society...Though with Distinct Limits -
Through immigration
most major countries view themselves as multi-cultural, but Brazil is
known to be a very highly hybridized melting-pot.
Its population today the result of long generational formal and informal inter-breeding between the Aboriginal/Native peoples, Afro-Latinos and Europeans. The 16th/17th/18th centuries 'early' migration influx of wealthy Europeans (esp Portugese), accompanied by 'transplanted' African slaves, with another 'mid' 19th immigration flow by poorer Europeans, effectively indentured Indians to English masters, , and 'later' entry of typically marginalised Europeans, Indians, Japanese and Chinese offering specific productive knowledge and practical skills.
Its population today the result of long generational formal and informal inter-breeding between the Aboriginal/Native peoples, Afro-Latinos and Europeans. The 16th/17th/18th centuries 'early' migration influx of wealthy Europeans (esp Portugese), accompanied by 'transplanted' African slaves, with another 'mid' 19th immigration flow by poorer Europeans, effectively indentured Indians to English masters, , and 'later' entry of typically marginalised Europeans, Indians, Japanese and Chinese offering specific productive knowledge and practical skills.
Thus when the 'First
Republic' was born between 1822-25 the then new land had already long
been a 'mosaic culture' of different national backgrounds, creeds and
colours, typically marked by the “haves and have-nots”. That
post-colonial reality was effectively “white and non-white”.
But with a great impetus for social integration and national
self-determination -although plainly beset by social and political
fractures created by narrow commercial-political wealth vs a broad
agricultural and urban endemic poverty - the Brazilian identity acted
as a loose umbrella from which it was deemed a new world could be
born.
But this would take over a century to see the first fruits of true improved integration.
But this would take over a century to see the first fruits of true improved integration.
True Nation Building as
the Proud Hybrid -
Such intermingling of
colour and standing only really experienced since the 1950s, thanks to the social
mobility and the improved lifestyle results of two important leadership drives.
Firstly Vargas and his very nationalistic “Estado Novo / New State”
policy with its industrial vision and economic trickle-down effects, . Secondly similar results from Kubitschek's development and infrastructure
drive.
Although the broad mass
of working poor had been viewed as the primary social melders for
centuries, the fact is that only some ethnicities tended to
inter-breed; typically the poorest Native Latinos and Afro-Latinos,
from working closely together and socialising on the 'Latifundo'
large farms owned by the elitist and socially remote 'Europeans'.
Yet it was that inter-breeding giving rise to mixed-blood off-spring, which in turn promoted the idea of 'Mestizaje' (racial mixing and assimilation) which loosens ties to racial roots and old identities, and so propounds the notion of a much melded, almost distilled, national identity.
Yet it was that inter-breeding giving rise to mixed-blood off-spring, which in turn promoted the idea of 'Mestizaje' (racial mixing and assimilation) which loosens ties to racial roots and old identities, and so propounds the notion of a much melded, almost distilled, national identity.
So whilst 'Mestizaje'
had been deployed as a propogandist tool for nation-building, and had
only previously been seen at the lowest levels of society, a social
revolution started to occur from the mid 20th century
onward. The Vargas and Kubitschek 'golden eras' provided the strong
economic foundations needed to slowly dismantle previous 'ethnic
defences' amongst the middle classes, and better educated, employed
and socially responsible 'non-whites' (ie Latino and Black) were able
to enjoy the good times and themselves enter, and indeed grow, the
middle classes.
Hence it was in the
1950s and 1960s that a new positivity underpinned the notion that to
be Brazilian was to be a Hybrid.
Governmental desire to
carve out and celebrate such a hybridised Brazilian character was not just
prevalent in obvious cultural pursuits such as song, cinema and
theatre, but as will be seen, even carried through into the Brazilian
industrial output of its 'ISI' (Import Substitution Initiative). All
to demonstrably create a distinctly unique national identity; one
that was paradoxically separate to the outside world, yet formed from
many aspects of the outside world.
Hence it was the era
of the easy listening 'Bossa Nova' soundtrack, 'The Girl from
Ipanema' and the word 'Samba' re-appropriated to the 23 window VW
Microbus, that Brazil for the first time powerfully celebrated its
essentially eclectic and fused hybrid national character on the world
stage.
After another long lost
era of almost two decades, greater social mobility and ethnic
hybridisation would be seen again toward the end of the 20th
century and into early 21st century, with even greater
effect as the commodities super-cycle took hold, and the broader
spread of generated wealth defied the previous effects of reactionary
racism in what ad previously been dour economically depressed times.
But, as ever, eras of
social improvement invariably raises expectations as general living
standards improve and consumerism patterns change; with as very much
seen today, any stagnation and real or perceived changes of
affordability (in ever better basics and non-essentials) leading once again to
social unease.
Nonetheless, Brazil
seeks to obviously demonstrates itself - as its banner suggests - a
truly progressive country. Long since espousing the allied idioms of
1. Cultural Fusion (the
national character)
2. Ecological
Consciousness (since the Rio climate summit)
[NB Indeed it seems
likely that Brazil's development ideal is to increasingly operate as
the de facto 'global bridge' between 1st World countries
and 2nd and 3rd World countries, using the
broad national socio-economic lessons learned (both good and bad) as
primary hallmarks for:
A. the developmental
guidance of other up-coming nations efforts
B. the cultural melding
of the increasingly ethnically diverse advanced nations
In a time of 'Identity
Politics' Brazil's ability to definitively mould itself both inwards
and outwards is a useful case study.
Part of that is the
nationalistic deployment of its automotive sector; as will be
illustrated in the following Part 3, and specifically spans the various distinct phases of Brazil's efforts of independent and foreign assisted self-development:
1. Adoption for Indigenous Adaption
(eg Ford F-series, VW
Fusca Wagon, VW Parati, Chevrolet Celta)
2. State Led Licensed Technology
Transfer
(eg FNM – Fabrica
Nacional de Motores)
3. Indigenous
Development - Corporate (Mass)
(eg Ford Corcel, Karmann TC, VW Brasilia, VW
SP2, FIAT 147, VW Gol / Pareti, FIAT Premio, FIAT Palio / Siena, FIAT Novo Uno)
4. Indigenous
Development – Independent (Niche)
(eg Sporting : Interlagos Berlinetta, Puma,
Miura, Dacon 828)
(eg Luxury : Santa
Matilde)
(eg Utility : Gurgel
G-15, Gurgel X-12, Troller)
(eg City : Gurgel XEF,
Gurgel BR-800)
5. Indigenous
Development – Technologies
(ie Fuel : Sugar Beat / Cane sourced Ethanol)
(ie Construction :
Fibre-glass and 'Plasteel')
6. Multi-National
Companies, Regionalisation and Globalisation
(ie Domestic and ''Parallel Export')
(eg AutoLatina)
(eg VW Gol, FIAT Palio / Siena, VW Fox, FIAT Novo Uno, Nissan Kicks)
7. Indigenous Development - Strategic and Value-Added
(eg Agrale and Marcopolo)
(eg AutoLatina)
(eg VW Gol, FIAT Palio / Siena, VW Fox, FIAT Novo Uno, Nissan Kicks)
7. Indigenous Development - Strategic and Value-Added
(eg Agrale and Marcopolo)
8. Indigenous Sector Promotion
(ie Sao Poalo International Auto Show....VW Buggy)
9. Indigenous Technological Research
(eg State, Academic and Corporate...Flex-Fuel, "Centro FEI", VW "2-UP"
Thereafter a look towards the possibilities for 'Brazilian Autos' with regards to ongoing domestic progress and improved international standing.
(ie Sao Poalo International Auto Show....VW Buggy)
9. Indigenous Technological Research
(eg State, Academic and Corporate...Flex-Fuel, "Centro FEI", VW "2-UP"
Thereafter a look towards the possibilities for 'Brazilian Autos' with regards to ongoing domestic progress and improved international standing.
