Customer Reviews

The Brazilian Empire: Myths and Histories

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The title says it all. The book is concise and informative as da Costa refutes long-held views about Brazilian history by focusing, largely, on the ruling classes. While this is an interesting and controversial way to do history with the primacy of subaltern studies in historical research, da Costa's microscopic focus on the elite left something to be desired. We want to hear the voices of the poorer classes.

Nonetheless, the book raises interesting questions about the Brazilian upper classes' agency in modern Brazil's startling rich/poor dichotomy. While the dependency school of history claims that this was created in large part by European and North American multi-national corporations, da Costa argues that modern Brazil's issues are in large part the creation of the Brazilian elite themselves, who do anything and everything possible to keep the masses down--including allying themselves with aforementioned multi-nationals.

PROS:

concise, informative and pithy especially as it explores the "myth of the helpless woman."

CONS:

It could have been longer, including the effects of the Brazilian elites actions on the lower classes.