Week 4: An Experiment in Decentralisation

1. Week 4: An Experiment in Decentralisation

2. Last week… independence and aftermath • Arrival of Portuguese court to Rio; 1815 United Kingdom arrangement; eventual break in 1822 • Change or continuity? Who drove independence? Who benefited? • Where are ORDINARY PEOPLE in this picture?

3. Problems of the First Empire, 1822-1831 • Regional revolts: 1824 Pernambuco (again) • 1825 War with Argentina over Cisplatine Province • Economy doing badly; over-dependence on the British • Strong anti-Portuguese sentiment; March 1831 “noites das garrafadas” (5-day riot in Rio) • Conflict between elite factions and D. Pedro; Portuguese monarchists force his return, 1831

5. Elite political divisions • Moderate liberals : Pedro II, independence, individual liberties • Absolutists: unison with Portugal under Pedro I; subordinate individual freedom to monarchy • Exaltados: provincial freedoms, even separate Republics •  • Conservatives / Liberals

6. 1830s: experiment with decentralization • 1834 Additional Act: greater powers to provinces, can choose provincial assemblies • Disastrous for central government: series of massive regional revolts • Idea was to strengthen central government but backfires • Put down violently/ brutally

8. The War of the Cabanos: Pernambuco, 1832-5 • , 1832-5: • Happens after Pedro I leaves but before 1834 Additional Act • demand return of Pedro I [monarchist: OPPOSITE of the Confederation of the Equator project in the 1820s] • Joined by lower orders: Indians, slaves • Weakened by death of Pedro I; crushed

10. War of Cabanagem, Belém, 1835-40: • Belém: port city on mouth of Amazon • Initially, fighting between monarchists & regionalists • Strong pro/ anti Portuguese aspects (port city; Portuguese merchants) • Escalates into broader social struggle • 30,000 die (1/5 of province’s population)

12. The Sabinada, 1837-8 • (Bahia) • Rebellious tradition in Bahia: (Tailors’ Conspiracy 1798; independence struggles 1822-3; the revolt of the MALÊS, in 1835 • Sparked by attempts at military recruitment in the province • “Bahian republic” declared by rebels headed by Dr Sabino Vieira • Familiar pattern: Non-white masses join; 1,800 killed • Spectre of “race war”

13. Balaiada, 1838-41 (Maranhão) • Local political struggles between elites… • Economic crisis for COTTON due to competition with US • Region well-known for banditry; becomes general social rebellion • 3,000 rebel slaves (under leader Cosme Bento) capture the town of Caxias in Maranhão; • counter-insurgency campaign; imperial army recaptures the town • commander of Brigadier Luis Alves de Lima e Silva becomes Baron of Caxias as reward

14. Basket (balaio) weavers, C19

15. War of the Farrapos (Rio Grande do Sul) 1835-1845 • Rebels declare independent republic • Partly about control of leather/ meat trade • Delicate border position next to Uruguay • Military defeat under Baron of Caxias • Plus: amnesty

16. The war of the Farrapos

18. Meanwhile: slave rebellion in Bahia (1835) • A “regional revolt” of sorts? Or different? • Mainly Muslim slaves: defeated Yoruba sold into trade from today’s Nigeria • JoãoJosé Reis Slave Rebellion in Brazil is best reference (see article for seminar reading today too) • Contributes to fear around race/ social rebellion • Decision to END the trade in 1850 is arguably product of 1835 revolt (plus disease; “Africanisation”; British pressure)

21. Re-centralization, 1840-1850 • 1840 Additional Act revoked • 1840 Pedro II crowned • 1848-1850: Praieira revolt, Pernambuco: - Conservative / Liberal rivalry - anti-Portuguese rioting - demand for federalism, end to “moderating power,” expulsion of Portuguese - crushed 1850; last of big challenges to nation-state