THE "west march” was a project developed by Getúlio Vargas during the dictatorship of the new state in order to promote population development and economic integration. of the regions North and Midwest of Brazil. The project promoted the creation of small colonization nuclei, however, had modest results.
Estado Novo and the March to the West
The march to the West was part of the economic and population development program for the North and Center-West regions of the Estado Novo dictatorship. This dictatorship began in 1937, with the political coup given by Getúlio Vargas. This period was marked by the repression of ideas and the strong political propaganda carried out by the Press and Advertising Department (DIP). The march to the west was one of the projects advertised by the DIP.
The North and Center-West regions were considered sparsely populated and poorly integrated with the coastal regions, especially the Southeast and South of Brazil. Thus, the initial proposal was to promote population and economic development in these regions. Another proposal was the integration of these areas from the
road network development, especially in Goiás, considered strategic thanks to its centralized position on the map of Brazil.The function of promoting the program was assigned to the modernist writer Cassiano Ricardo, who held the functions of censor and director of the Jornal A Manhã between 1941 and 1945, in addition to being the head of the Political Cultural Department of Rádio Nacional |1|. Cassiano Ricardo promoted the Vargas project through his book “March to the West: the influence of the flag on the social and political formation of Brazil”. In this book, Cassiano Ricardo defended Vargas' dictatorial project.
The advertisement promoted by Cassiano Ricardo was based on a nationalism who defended the idea that the true Brazilianness it was only found in the interior of the country, as the coast was full of foreign addictions. This theme was even explored by Getúlio Vargas during a visit to the city of Goiânia in 1940 |2|.
Project characteristics
The main feature of the westward march, as mentioned, was to promote the integration of the interior of Brazil with coastal areas from road integration and development populational. For this purpose, housing colonies were created in Goiás, Amazons, Bushthick, For and Maranhão.
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The Vargas proposal defended the economic integration of these areas from, above all, theincrease in agricultural production. For that to happen, the march to the west defended the dismantle the latifundia existing and the promotion of agrarian reform for settlers to develop on small plots of land a family farming. The integration of these regions would also be an attempt to make greater contact with indigenous populations.
Population development would be carried out from volunteers (mainly from the Northeast) who were willing to move to the regions promoted by the project. This population development would be carried out primarily by poor Brazilians, according to the following report:
In Vargas' understanding, the occupation of land in the so-called “demographic voids” should preferably be carried out by poor Brazilians. The “march to the west” advocated an appreciation of the national worker. According to the government's judgment, foreigners represented danger, as demonstrated by those who lived in urban areas and who participated in strike movements before 1930 |3|.
Finally, it was important for the government that the development of the road network took place so that agricultural production in the region had better flow to coastal regions. Due to its strategic geographic position, the state of Goiás was seen as fundamental, as it connected the coast with the interior of the country.
The Vargas government's campaign was successful in promoting population development in the regions. In addition, there was the development of production and the growth of the road network. The project, however, failed dismantle the existing latifundiums, and the developed housing colonies suffered a lot from the lack of encouragement and support, as was the case. registered in the case of Goiás, in which many settlers sold their land shortly after settling in the colony that gave rise to the city of Ceres.
|1| CASSIANO, Luiz de Carvalho. March to the West: an itinerary for the Estado Novo (1937-1945). 2002. Dissertation (Masters in History). University of Brasília, 2002, p.53.
|2| Idem, p. 62.
|3| Idem, p. 66
*Image credits: commons
By Daniel Neves
Graduated in History
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SILVA, Daniel Neves. "Estado Novo and the March to the West"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiab/estado-novo-marcha-para-oeste.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
