Getúlio Vargas

Getúlio Vargas (born April 19, 1882 [see Researchers Note], São Borja, Braz.—died Aug. 24, 1954, Rio de Janeiro) was the president of Brazil (1930–45, 1951–54), who brought social and economic changes that helped modernize the country. Although denounced by some as an unprincipled dictator, Vargas was revered by his followers as the “Father of the Poor,” for his battle against big business and large landowners. His greatest accomplishment was to guide Brazil as it weathered the far-reaching consequences of the Great Depression and the accompanying polarization between communism and fascism during his long tenure in office.

Vargas was born in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, into a family prominent in state politics. Contemplating a military career, he joined the army when he was 16 but soon decided to study law. In 1908, shortly after graduating from the Porto Alegre Law School, he entered politics. By 1922 he had risen rapidly in state politics and was elected to the National Congress, in which he served for four years. In 1926 Vargas became minister of finance in the Cabinet of President Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa, a post he retained until his election as governor of Rio Grande do Sul in 1928. From his position as state governor, Vargas campaigned unsuccessfully as reform candidate for the presidency of Brazil in 1930. While appearing to accept defeat, Vargas in October of that year led the revolution, organized by his friends, that overthrew the oligarchical republic.

For the next 15 years Vargas assumed largely dictatorial powers, ruling most of that time without a congress. He held sole power as provisional president from Nov. 3, 1930, until July 17, 1934, when he was elected president by the constituent assembly. During this time he survived a São Paulo-led revolt in 1932 and an attempted communist revolution in 1935. On Nov. 10, 1937, Vargas presided over a coup d’état that set aside the constitutional government and set up the populist authoritarian Estado Novo (“New State”). In 1938 he, along with members of his family and staff, personally resisted an attempt to overthrow his government by Brazilian fascists.

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Prior to 1930 the federal government had been in effect a federation of autonomous states, dominated by rural landholders and financed largely by the proceeds of agricultural exports. Under Vargas this system was destroyed. The tax structure was revised to make state and local administrations dependent upon the central authority, the electorate was quadrupled and granted the secret ballot, women were enfranchised, extensive educational reforms were introduced, social-security laws were enacted, labour was organized and controlled by the government, and workers were assured a wide range of benefits, including a minimum wage, while business was stimulated by a program of rapid industrialization. Vargas, however, did not change the private-enterprise system, nor did his social reforms extend in practice to the rural poor.

But on Oct. 29, 1945, Vargas was overthrown by a coup d’état in a wave of democratic sentiment sweeping postwar Brazil. He still, however, retained wide popular support. Although elected as senator from Rio Grande do Sul in December 1945, he went into semiretirement until 1950, when he emerged as the successful presidential candidate of the Brazilian Labour Party. He took office on Jan. 31, 1951.

As an elected president restrained by congress, a profusion of political parties, and public opinion, Vargas was unable to satisfy his labour following or to placate mounting middle-class opposition. Thus, he resorted increasingly to ultranationalistic appeals to hold popular support and incurred the animosity of the U.S. government, which encouraged intransigent opposition from his enemies. By mid-1954 criticism of the government was widespread, and the armed forces, professing shock over scandals within the regime, joined in the call for Vargas’s withdrawal. Rather than accept forced retirement, Vargas took his life on Aug. 24, 1954. His dramatic deathbed testament to the country led to a great resurgence of mass support, allowing for a rapid return of his followers to power.