Authoritarian state, civil society and aspects of the emergence of Indigenous Movements

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the relation between the authoritarian State and civil society in Brazil, against the background of the indigenous people and the old issues that permeate positions and impositions related to them; specially regarding the legislation about the indigenous people and society’s broader view about the rights of these people; besides the organized civil society’s actions, during the period of systematization and emergence of the Brazilian Indigenous Movement that aimed to ensure these rights based effectively committed policies. The main hypothesis claims that the indigenous policies in Brazil have always had an authoritarian character, intending to meet only the interests of several other sectors instead of the indigenous people. The Military Dictatorship (1964-1985) only distinguishes itself for being a moment in which this practice has become clearer. For this purpose, the author used, among others, historical sources of different characteristics, focusing on dossiers related to the indigenous issue, produced during the mentioned Regime and obtained at the National Archive (Regional Coordination of Brasília-DF). The article highlights the inconsistencies of the official indigenous policies faced with the Indigenous Movement’s ascendance. The latter were permeated by ideologies guided by National Security notions and by the assimilation and integration of the indigenous population with the broader society. Finally, the presence of an authoritarian political culture during the creation and formation process of the Brazilian Indigenous Movement is notorious, which has been an obstacle for the Movement’s sustainability and reinforced the need to keep fighting for recognition.