Father of the Poor?: Vargas and his Era (New Approaches to the Americas) [Paperback]

Robert M. Levine (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521585287 | ISBN-13: 978-0521585286 | Publication Date: January 28, 1998

This book examines the life and times of Getúlio Vargas, Brazilian dictator and president for most of the period from 1930 to 1954. It asks how Vargas' legacy influenced Brazil, and to what extent his social legislation affected people's lives. Vargas ignored individual rights and devoted as much effort to manipulating workers as to benefiting them. He did not perceive the unequal distribution of power as a problem that needed to be solved. Although Vargas promised much and delivered little, Brazilians idolized him. Ordinary people would shrug and say, "The President always thought about us."

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Father of the Poor is a compelling portrait of contemporary Brazil drawn from Brazilian archives, Vargas's personal diary of and suicide note, oral history testimony and photography, as well as recent Brazilian and non-Brazilian social history, anthropological and sociological scholarship." Michael LaRosa, H-Net Reviews

"Levine provids a good picture of the extension of government social services under Vargas. The volume also has an excellent set of photographs and reprints interesting contemporary documents." Journal of Interdisciplinary History

"...concise yet lively overview of the legacy of Vargas's government and the significance of his social policies. Levine's analysis moves adroitly between the voices of workers and their views of events and the musings of Brazil's most influential political, economic, and cultural leaders in the 1900s." Peter M. Beattie, Latin American Research Review

"...a concise yet lively overview of the legacy of Vargas's government and the significanceof his social policies. Levine's analysis moves adroitly between the voices of workers and thier views of events and the musing of Brazil's most influential political, economic, and leaders in the 1900s." Peter M. Beattie, Latin American

Book Description

This book examines the life and times of Getúlio Vargas, Brazilian dictator and president for most of the period from 1930 to 1954. It asks how Vargas' legacy influenced Brazil, and to what extent his social legislation affected people's lives. Vargas ignored individual rights and devoted as much effort to manipulating workers as to benefiting them. He did not perceive the unequal distribution of power as a problem that need to be solved. Although Vargas promised much and delivered little, Brazilians idolized him. Ordinary people would shrug and say "The President always thought about us."

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521585287
• ISBN-13: 978-0521585286
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > History > Americas > South America > Brazil

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The author fails many times, but this book is good, August 13, 2006

By 

Dalton C. Rocha (Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Father of the Poor?: Vargas and his Era (New Approaches to the Americas) (Paperback)

I read this book, in a translation to the portuguese, here in Brazil.I'm an agronomist.I like to read books.
This book is about Getulio Vargas, the most important of brazilians presidents, in all times.
And this book is concise and easy to read.
The author fails many times.To example,in a sentence, on last page of chapter 4, the author seems to believe, that terrorism in Military times(1964-1985) as an effect of repressive actions by government.In fact in 1960, Che Guevara himself made a terrorist attack, here in Brazil.The target was a registry office in Parana, a Brazil's state.Since 1959, brazilian marxists were training guerrilla warfare, in Cuba.
Terrorism in Latin America, between 1964 and 1985, was focused in democracies as his main victims.Brazil having more than 47% of the territory of South America, but had less than 0,5% of all terrorism in South America.And Brazil's GDP grew in average 7% between 1967 and 1985, against an average of 2% in a year between 1987 and 2006.

Returning to Vargas and this book, the author isn't a tourist about Getulio Vargas.Like the author hismselfs recognizes, in fact there's almost so many Vargas, as there is Jesus or Gods.Vargas has being used to help leftist from right wing, since while, he was living.
Vargas himself told many times, that he ever will be a mistery.And he got this wish.
If the author of this book were a brazilian, I'll be giving 3 stars for this book.The author will have 4 stars for this book. Because the author know so much about Brazil and Vargas, to write this book, is a good made effort.