Dados is one of the most widely-read social sciences journals in Latin America. Created in 1966, it publishes innovative works, originating from academic research, by Brazilian and foreign authors. Edited by IESP-UERJ, it aims to reconcile scientific rigor and academic excellence with an emphasis on public debate based on the analysis of substantive issues of society and politics.
Dados vol. 32 n. 3 Rio de Janeiro 1989
Abstract
Drawing a comparison with the political situation prevailing at the end of the Sarney government, the author uses unpublished data from IBOPE opinion polls conducted in the principle Brazilian capitals during mid-1963 and a few days prior to the 1964 military coup to rebut assertions frequently found in literature on the analysis of the political crisis experienced by Brazil during that phase. According to these assertions, the federal government, shortly before it was overthrown, had lost credibility as well as the political backing of most of the population; political parties had become meaningless in the eyes of voters; and there was a great potential for public opinion, especially among the middle and upper classes, to welcome the military intervention about to occur. Much to the contrary, an analysis of !Surveys from that time reveals that President Goulart and his administration's economic guidelines were enjoying positive assessment indices from the public and that although political parties were naturally immersed in the crisis which preceded the institutional rupture, they were quite firmly planted in the society's set of political references - a situation which stands in stark contrast to the scenario of a "crisis in representation", as the tepidity of the current party system can be described. Furthermore, most of the electorate in large urban centers opted for the ideological values of the "center" (with their ensuing ambiguities), a fact which would probably have translated into a victory for Juscelino Kubitschek had the scheduled 1965 presidential elections actually taken place.
Governos, Partidos e Eleições segundo a Opinião Pública: O Brasil de 1989 Comparado ao de 1964
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