O governo de Hermes da Fonseca e a construção de vilas operárias na Primeira República (1909-1915)

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to understand the relation between the oligarchic state in the first Brazilian Republic and the labor movement. The focus is set on Hermes da Fonseca government, who had proposes that diverges, in some points, from the hegemonic liberal discourse at that time, mainly in the social issue. During his campaign and in his inauguration speech, Fonseca detected the housing problem as an issue for the working class and that it was also a problem for the State to solve. This discourse matches the claims of the labor movement, especially of the reformists – called derogatorily as “pelegos” or “amarelos” – that supported Fonseca in his race for the presidency. That race – so called “Campanha Civilista” – was the most competitive political campaign in the first Brazilian Republic, engaging different social sectors and the majors newspapers. One of these newspapers – Gazeta de Notícias – is the main source for this research. The analysis of the articles published in Gazeta de Notícias allows to figure out the participation of the different social sectors and the power relations that influenced the labor movement. To understand the support of main figures of the reformism to the Fonseca’s campaign is necessary to comprehend how the beginnings of labor movement occurred at the same time of the proclamation of the Republic and how was the struggle of the working class for rights.