Assess the reasons why Vargas rose to Power

Getulo Vargas became President of Brazil in November 1930 amidst a complicated set of circumstances, the old regime of Washington Luis having been replaced by the Junta Pacifadora just a over a week before Vargas finally took power. His ascent to power can be attributed to a number of reasons. The economic situation in Brazil, the recent history of Brazil preceding Vargas and the personalities of Vargas and those around him, as well as their popularity, were all important contributors. However, the most important was the political climate in Brazil that left ordinary Brazilians entirely subjugated to the elites and allowed events such as the assassination of Joo Pessoa to occur, both of which were instrumental in Vargas coming to power. The political climate then, was the single greatest reason for Vargas becoming President of Brazil. Elections in Brazil had always contested the military, coffee and cattle elites, on rotation. Electoral fraud and vote fixing was common, literate adult males the only permitted voters, ensuring the elites remained in power, and governments were primarily concerned with the economic interests of their home states. While Vargas took office in November 1930, it followed his defeat as the Aliania Liberal opposition candidate in the Presidential elections earlier in the year. On 1st March it had been announced a victory for Jlio Prestes, the candidate hand-picked by Washington Lus since his appointment as governor of So Paulo in 1927. While Vargas accepted the results and insisted revolution would be in error, his deputy Governor Joo Neves and running mate Joo Pessoa accused the authorities of fraud. This controversy, along with Pessoas assassination which will be discussed in the next paragraph, formed the justification for the revolution. Though others in his party may have been willing to revolt from the moment the election results were announced, Vargas himself did not agree to revolution until 18th August, following the assassination of his running mate and Paraba Governor Joo Pessoa, who was shot dead by Joo Duarte Dantas, a former business rival. Vargas spoke of the revolting crime in which political vengeance armed a hired assassin1. Though Lus declared three days of morning, the Pessoa family were quick to reject it as a hypocritical homage. Enormous crowds defied the police to attend his funeral and the Aliania were finally united in their resolve to revolt. The assassination of Pessoa may have been the trigger of the revolution, but the event itself would not have occurred without the political climate. The corrupt and oligarchic nature of Brazilian politics meant that Pessoa, seen as even more of a problem than Vargas himself, had to be taken care of. Thus it was the political climate, in allowing the death of Pessoa, that truly ignited the spark of Revolution. Of course the popularity of Vargas and the Aliania Liberal was important; Vargas himself being so sceptical of revolution that it required Pessoas death for him to act, would naturally have taken no action had he not thought the people of Brazil would ensure his victory. Fortunately for Vargas, he was incredibly popular among ordinary Brazilians. During his electoral campaign the Aliania Liberal had received backing from several major newspapers. Moreover, on 2nd January 1930 Vargas had read the Aliania Liberals program to a huge, wildly enthusiastic crowd in downtown Rio de Janiero. During the revolution in October every stop on Vargas revolutionary train ride on the wings of the people was besieged by cheering crowds, and battalions called upon by the Government to defend
1

Dulles, John W.F. Vargas of Brazil: A Political Biography. University of Texas Press; Austin. 1967 p.65.

them instead began to fight for the rebels. Vargas popularity allowed him to make the decisive step of calling for revolution, and the sheer numbers as well as the defection of soldiers of course meant the revolution was successful, thus enabling Vargas to come to power. The popularity of Vargas and the Aliania may be contributed to their own personalities, and it was certainly these personalities that made revolution, and Vargas seizing of power, possible. Firstly Joo Pessoa, nephew of reformist President Epitcio Pessoa, who came to be seen as a martyr for the liberal cause, inspired scenes of devotion at his funeral and whose name was chanted in the central moments of the revolution in October. Seen as a loose cannon, Pessoa was an eloquent speaker who had broken with corrupt local politicians in his state of Paraba, gaining a reputation for honesty and integrity. Vargas vice-Governor in Rio Grande do Sul, Joo Neves, was another fiery individual, who orchestrated the Vargas candidacy in the 1930 Election against the wishes of Vargas himself, in a deal with the Mineiros of Minas Geras. Vargas hailed him the great planter of the revolutionary ideal2. Without the encouragement of these two men, it is possible that Vargas would never have approved revolution. However, it was Vargas character; with his reputation for honesty, integrity and level-headed approach gained during his time as Finance Minister, that was able to gain popular support and persuade influential figures, such as the war hero Gos, to support the Alianias cause. As previously mentioned, as Finance Minister in Lus cabinet, Vargas had been noted for his probity in handling public money and refusing to permit payment of irregular accounts3, and thus gained admiration and respect. The economic situation therefore worked to Vargas advantage. In 1927 the Government had balanced the federal account, by using loans from London and Wall Street of about $1 billion. However, during the Wall Street crash of 1929, the loans were quickly recalled. By 1930 1/3 Brazils GDP went towards paying off National Debt. The crisis had also collapsed the world demand for coffee, Brazils main source of income. The coffee industry had actually been in crisis years before the crash, when the Brazilian Government bought up coffee from the farmers in order to keep prices stable. As the government was unable to sell the coffee, huge stockpiles had to be burnt, plunging the Government further into debt. With Vargas outstanding record as finance minister he was seen by money as the best choice to rescue the country from financial ruin. This also contributed to his popular support, as many ordinary Brazilians found themselves in desperate situations. In conclusion then, aspects such as the personality of Vargas and his fellow Aliania politicians and the economic situation contributed to his popular support, which in turn allowed him to complete a successful revolution. However, it was the political climate that allowed Vargas to actually initiate a revolution, swayed by events such as his defeat in the 1930 Presidential Election and the assassination of Joo Pessoa, and thus can be seen as the main reasons Vargas came to power.

2 3

Dulles, John W.F. Vargas of Brazil: A Political Biography. University of Texas Press; Austin. 1967. p.70 Dulles, John W.F. Vargas of Brazil: A Political Biography. University of Texas Press; Austin. 1967. p. 42