Vargas Era - Estado Novo

Estado Novo

In 1937, while awaiting the presidential elections for January 1938, the existence of a communist plot to overthrow the government was denounced by Vargas: he announced the discovery of a plan, named Cohen Plan (Plano Cohen), to take over the government. In reality, however Plano Cohen was forged in the government with the objective of creating a climate favorable to the assumption of emergency powers by the President.

The Communists had indeed attempted to take over the Government in November 1935, in a botched coup attempt known as the Intentona Comunista (Communist Attempt). In the wake of the failed Communist uprising, Congress had already given greater powers to Vargas, and approved the creation of a National Security Tribunal (Tribunal de Segurança Nacional).

However, Vargas' four year term of office would expire in 1938, and so the invented Cohen Plan was conceived by his government as a means to secure his perpetuation in the presidential office, and the assuption of dictatorial powers. The invented 1937 communist threat served as a pretext for the suspension of the democratic freedoms and to the assumption of dictatorial powers by the President.

This took place on November 10, 1937, when President Getúlio Vargas, in a coup d'état, replaced the 1934 Constitution with a new Constitution imposed by him, decreed a state of emergency - that would last until his deposition in 1945 - and dissolved the National Congress. Although Vargas' 1937 Constitution established a new Legislature, as well as provided for a referendum to confirm the actions of the coup, neither the plebiscite, nor the legislative elections, were held. Instead, under an article of the Constitution that was supposed to be transitional (its effectiveness was supposed to last only until the summoning of the elections, but was rather applied from 1937 to 1945), the President assumed the powers of the Legislature. The Estado Novo regime also greatly curtailed the autonomy of the judicial branch, and suppressed the autonomy of the Brazilian States, that were governed by federal interventors, who discharged (on a formally temporary basis), the legislative and executive powers.

In December 1937, one month after the Estado Novo coup, Vargas signed a Decree disbanding all political parties, including the fascist-like Ação Integralista Brasileira (AIB). The Brazilian Integralists had until then been supportive of Vargas' anti-communist measures. On May 11, 1938, the integralists, unsatisfied with the closing of the AIB, invaded the Guanabara Palace, attempting to depose Vargas. This episode is known as "Integralist Attempt" and was far from successful.

Between 1937 and 1945, the duration of the Estado Novo, Getúlio Vargas gave continuity to the formation of structure and professionalism in the State. He oriented the state to intervene in the economy, promoting economic nationalism. The movement towards a "New State" was significant, in that along with the dismissal of Congress and its political parties, he wanted to recognize the indigenous population. He gained great favor in their eyes, and was called the "Father of the Poor". Besides of gaining popularity with them, he provided them with tools to assist them in the improvement of their agrarian lifestyles. He felt that if the country were to progress that the Indians, the very symbol of Brazilianness, should reap the benefits, ridden the label of oppression the country. This was important to establish a unified society. The intention was to form a strong impulse toward industrialization.

In this period, a number of industrial concerns were created:

• The "Conselho Nacional do Petróleo" (CNP) (National Oil Advisor)
• The "Departamento Administrativo do Serviço Público" (DASP) (The Administration Department of Public Service)
• The "Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional" (CSN) (National Iron Smelting Company)
• The "Companhia Vale do Rio Doce" (Rio Doce Valley Company)
• The "Companhia Hidro-Elétrica do São Francisco" (São Francisco Hydroelectric Company)
• The "Fábrica Nacional de Motores" (FNM) (National Motor Plant)

The Estado Novo had a powerful effect on Brazilian architecture, because it provided sufficient authority to implement Urban Planning on a large scale in Brazil. Although sufficient wealth was not available to complete the plans, they had a powerful, lasting effect on the cities and their organization. One of the best-planned cities in the world, Curitiba, received its first planning during the Estado Novo. One notable urban planner was Alfred Agache.

A series of measures were used to restrain opposition, such as the nomination of Intervenors for the States and censorship of the media, performed by the DIP ("Departamento de Imprensa e Propaganda", Department of Press and Propaganda). This agency also promoted the ideology of the Estado Novo, designed the official propaganda of the government and tried to direct public opinion.

In 1943, Getúlio edited the CLT ("Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho", Consolidation of the Labor Laws), guaranteeing that a job would be stable after ten years of service. It also provided weekly rest, regulated the work of minors and women, regulated night-time work and set a working day to eight hours.