Conclusion

In the mid-1930s, Brazil was ruled by an authoritarian regime with a top-down project of economic and social reforms. Agreements with an expansionist Germany, and later with the US, resulted in unprecedented growth and the creation of heavy industries in Brazil. In 1942, thousands took to the streets demanding a declaration of War in reaction to the sinking of ships by German and Italian submarines. The war effort accelerated internal migration, along with overexploitation and the imposition of military discipline in the workplace, scarcity, the black market, and the suspension of civil and labor rights. Still, these years were also marked by an assertive patriotism. That combination of factors led to a reconfiguration of the working class. It opened new possibilities for questioning the naturalization of social inequalities and hierarchies based on the exploitation of labor and biological or cultural stereotypes. A new conception of citizenship emerged, recognizing social and political rights for workers, although subordinated to national security. Wartime protests allowed Brazil to glimpse its potential as an independent, developed, and just nation. This utopian vision of an inclusive nationalism has fueled new cycles of struggle ever since.