Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T03:10:23.691Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Technology, the Military, and Democracy in Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Ken Conca*
Affiliation:
Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts

Extract

Brazil Entered the 1990s with its transition from authoritarian rule incomplete. The gradual withdrawal of the armed forces from power brought an end to over two decades of direct military rule in 1985, paving the way for a new constitution and the first presidential election in nearly 30 years. These formal democratizing changes were erected, however, on a foundation of socio-economic structures and political institutions with some decidedly non-democratic features. As a result, Brazilian politics retains some important vestiges of authoritarianism. Pre-existing centers of power in society remain extraordinarily influential within the emerging system, frequently operating beyond the reach of even nominal democratic control or oversight.

If events of the 1980s did not completely transform Brazilian politics, they did redefine the main challenge of the political transition. The initial problem of replacing the military government with a civilian regime has given way to a second, less tangible, task of consolidating democratic institutions and procedures (O'Donnell, 1988).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © University of Miami 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carvalho, J. (1989) “Militares e civis: um debate para além da Constituente,” pp. 137152 in Camargo, Aspásia and Diniz, Eli (eds.) Continuidade e Mudanca no Brasil da Nova Republica. São Paulo, Brazil: Vertice.Google Scholar
Carvalho, J. (1982) “Armed Forces and Politics in Brazil, 1930-45.” Hispanic American Historical Review 62 (May): 193223.Google Scholar
Castro, A., Majlis, N., Pinguelli Rosa, L. and de Souza Barros, F. (1989) “Brazil's Nuclear Shakeup: Military Still in Control.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 45 (May): 2225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cavagnari, G. (1987) “Autonomia militar e construção da potência,” pp. 5799 in Rizzo de Oliveira, E., Cavagnari Filho, G. L., Quartim de Morães, J. and Dreifuss, R. A. (eds.) As forcas armadas no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Espaço e Tempo.Google Scholar
Centro Ecumenico de Documentação e Informaçães (CEDI) (1988) De Angra a Aramar: Os Militares a Caminho da Bomba. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: CEDI.Google Scholar
Coelho, E. (1976) Em Busca da Identidade: O Exército e a Política na Sociedade Brasileira. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Forense Universitaria.Google Scholar
Conca, K. (1992a) Global Markets, Local Politics, and Military Industrialization in Brazil. Ph.D. dissertation, Energy and Re-sources Group, University of California, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Conca, K. (1992b) “Third World Military Industrialization and the Emerging Security System,” pp. 141164 in Zysman, John (ed.) The Highest Stakes: The Economic Structure of the Next Security System. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Dagnino, R. (1989) A indústria de armamentos brasileira: uma tentativa de avaliação. Ph.D. dissertation, Instituto de Economia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil.Google Scholar
Dagnino, R. (1985) “A indústria de armamentos brasileira: desenvolvimento e perspectivas,” pp. 69105 in Arndt, Ricardo (ed.) O Armamentismo e o Brasil: A guerra deles. São Paulo, Brazil: Brasiliense.Google Scholar
Dagnino, R. (1983) “Industria de armamentos: O Estado e a tecnologia.” Revista brasileira de tecnologia 14 (May/June): 517.Google Scholar
Dagnino, R. (n.d.) “A Universidade e a pesquisa cientifica e tecnologica.” Ciência e Cultura 37: 133154 (supplement).Google Scholar
Dreifuss, R. (1987) “Sodedade Política Armada ou Forca Armada Sodetaria?” pp. 101144 in Rizzo de Olivdra, E., Cavagnari Filho, G. L., Quartim de Monies, J. and Drdfuss, R. A. (eds.) As Forças Armadas no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Espaço e Tempo.Google Scholar
O Estado de São Paulo (1988) “A estranha abertura nuclear.” (2 September).Google Scholar
Folha de São Paulo (1990) “Dívida da indústria bélica supera US$ 1 bi.” (21 January).Google Scholar
Folha de São Paulo. (1989) “Itamaraty barra construçãao de satelite para o Iraque.” (7 April).Google Scholar
Folha de São Paulo. (1986) “No governo Figueiredo decidiu-se tocar o programa nuclear paralelo.” (14 August).Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991a) “Engesa to Receive New Treasury Funding.” EXAME (São Paulo), 30 October, FBIS-LAT-91-240, 13 December: 42.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991b) “Embraer's US Subsidiary to Market Aircraft.” (8 August).Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991c) “Collor to Assign Millions to EMBRAER Recovery” (Rede Globo, 1600 GMT, 2 August). FBIS-LAT-91-150, 5 August: 36.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT).(1991d) “INPE Lets Contracts for Satellites.” Gazeta Mercantil (São Paulo), 27 June, FBIS-LAT-91-146, 30 July: 36.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991e) “Committee to Draft Rules on Technology Flow.” Gazeta Mercantil (São Paulo), 8-10 June, FBIS-LAT-91-130, 8 July: 44.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991) “Establishment of Military Alliances ‘Discarded,'” Brasilia Radio Nacional da Amazonia, 7 June, FBIS-LAT-91-111, 10 June: 32.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991g) “Possible Military Agreement With US Denied.” Madrid EFE, 31 May, FBIS-LAT-91-108, 5 June: 32.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991h) “Foreign Ministry Denies New U.S. Agreement.” Folha de São Paulo, 12 May, FBIS-LAT-91-094, 15 May: 26.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991i) “Defense Industry Opposes Arms Deal With U.S.” Folha de São Paulo, FBIS-LAT-91-070, 11 April: 22.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991j) “Goldemberg Deems Inpe Project with Iraq Legal.” Folha de São Paulo, 8 February, FBIS-LAT-91-059, 27 March: 29.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1991k) “Rezek: Government to Restrict Future Weapons Sales.” Madrid EFE, 1 March, FBIS-LAT-91-042, 4 March: 32.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1990a) “Presidents Sign Joint Accord on Nuclear Policy.” TELAM (Buenos Aires), 28 November, FBIS-LAT-90-230, 29 November: 2829.Google Scholar
Foreign Broadcast Information Service-Latin America (FBIS-LAT). (1990b) “Use of Launch Site by Other Countries Approved.” O Estado de São Paulo, 16 October, FBIS-LAT-90-201, 17 October: 17.Google Scholar
Franko-Jones, P. (1992) The Brazilian Defense Industry. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Google Scholar
Gazeta Mercantil (international edition) (1991a) “Relending Approved.” (8 July).Google Scholar
Gazeta Mercantil (international edition) (1991b) “US pressure against Soviet partnership.” (6 May).Google Scholar
Gazeta Mercantil (international edition) (1989a) “In the dumps.” (4 September).Google Scholar
Gazeta Mercantil (international edition) (1989b) “Big loan approved.” (22 May).Google Scholar
O Globo (1990) “Piva explica ajuda dos brasileiros ao Iraque.” (6 September).Google Scholar
Gôes, W. (1984) “O novo regime militar no Brasil.” Dados: Revista de Ciências Sociais 27: 361375.Google Scholar
Guimarães, E., Erber, F., and Tavares, J. (1985) A PoKtica Cientifica e Tecnológica. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Jorge Zahar Editor.Google Scholar
Isto E/Senhor (1990b) “Fora do Ar.” (15 August).Google Scholar
Isto E/Senhor (1990a) “Atomos armados.” (19 September).Google Scholar
Jaguaribe, H., Dos Santos, W., De Paiva Abreu, M., Fritsch, W. and Bastos de Avila, F. (1986) Brasil 2000: Para um Novo Pacto Social. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Paz e Terra.Google Scholar
Jornal do Brasil (1990a) “Os lances secretos da conexão nuclear entre o Brasil e o Iraque.” (2 September).Google Scholar
Jornal do Brasil (1990b) “A negra historia das relaçães entre Brasil e Iraque.” (12 August).Google Scholar
Kramer, P. (1984) “Complexo industrial militar e exportacao de armamentos no Brasil.” Brasil Perspectivas Internacionais (November/December): 58.Google Scholar
Markoff, J. and Baretta, S. (1990) “Economic Crisis and Regime Change in Brazil: The 1960s and the 1980s.” Comparative Politics 22 (July); 421444.Google Scholar
Markoff, J. and Baretta, S. (1985) “Professional Ideology and Military Activism in Brazil: Critique of a Thesis of Alfred Stepan.” Comparative Politics 17 (January): 175191.Google Scholar
McCann, F (1984) “The Formative Period of Twentieth-Century Brazilian Army Thought.” Hispanic American Historical Review 64: 737765.Google Scholar
Moraes, J., Peres Costa, W., and Rizzo de Oliveira, E. (1987) A Tutela Militar. São Paulo, Brazil: Vertice.Google Scholar
New York Times (1990a) “Argentina and Brazil Renounce Atomic Weapons.” (29 November).Google Scholar
New York Times (1990b) “Brazil Uncovers Plan by Military to Build Atom Bomb and Stops It.” (9 October).Google Scholar
O'Donnell, G. (1988) “Challenges to Democratization in Brazil.” World Policy Journal 5, 2 (Spring): 281300.Google Scholar
O'Donnell, G. and Schmitter, P. (1986) Transitions from Authoritarian Rule: Tentative Conclusions about Uncertain Democracies. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.Google Scholar
Oliveira, E. (1987) “Constituente, Forças Armadas, e Autonomia Militar.” pp. 145185 in Rizzo de Oliveira, E., Cavagnari Filho, G. L., Quartim de Morães, J. and Dreifuss, R. A. (eds.) As Forças Armadas no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Espaço e Tempo.Google Scholar
Proenca, D. (1990) “Guns and Butter? Arms Industry, Technology and Democracy in Brazil.” Bulletin of Peace Proposals 21, 1 (March): 4957.Google Scholar
Proenca, D. (1987) “Tecnologia militar e os militares na tecnologia: o caso da ‘politica nacional de informática.” MA. thesis, Coordinação dos programas de pos-graduação de engenharia de Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (COPPE/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, (November).Google Scholar
Rosa, L. (1985) A Política Nuclear e o Caminho das Armas Atomicas. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Jorge Zahar Editor.Google Scholar
Saratva, J. (1989) “O Desenvolvimento Industrial Bélico.” Report prepared for the research project Brasil no Século XXI: Ciencia e Tecnologia como Variavel Estratégica no Pensamento Militar Brasileiro. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: CNPq (July).Google Scholar
Sindicatos dos Metalurgicos de São Jose dos Campos (1988) Apoio Sindical 1 (March).Google Scholar
Skidmore, T (1988) The Politics of Military Rule in Brazil, 1964-85. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Stepan, A. (1988) Rethinking Military Politics: Brazil and the Southern Cone. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Tollefson, S. (1990) “Brazilian Arms Transfers, Ballistic Missiles, and Foreign Policy: The Search for Autonomy.” Ph.D. dissertation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (MD).Google Scholar
Veja (1991a) “De volta para casa.” (3 July).Google Scholar
Veja (1991b) “Em segredo.” (6 March).Google Scholar
Veja (1989) “O espaco deve ser civil.” (8 February).Google Scholar
Veja (1987) “Fundo falso.” (12 August).Google Scholar
Wirth, J. (1970) The Politics of Brazilian Development 1930-1954. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
World Bank (1989) World Bank Development Report. Washington, DC: The World Bank.Google Scholar