ABSTRACT
Brazil’s history has done much to shape the ethnographic topography of the socio-economic class structures across Latin America. The presence of diverse ethnic and racial groupings within Brazilian society is frequently explained as a result of the country’s colonial history and complicated relationship with slavery. This chapter attempts to chart Brazil’s evolution as a rising power since its late 19th century independence. We present a summary timeline that should help the reader to understand 20th century Brazil, which oscillated between periods of democratic rule, authoritarian dictatorship and military rule; and explore how some of these transitions, combined with critical socio-economic events, shaped the fragmented socio-political construct of modern-day Brazil.
