ABSTRACT
In a manner reminiscent of its predecessor more than 40 years earlier in 1889, the 'provisional government' that came into power in November 1930 and created the 'Second Republic' was imposed on the people of Brazil by military force. The public response was similarly passive. One notable difference, however, was that the head of the new regime, Getulio Vargas, was a civilian politician rather than a general. 1 Moreover, Vargas possessed markedly greater public appeal and political acumen than Deodoro da Fonseca and held on to power for a much longer period of time. In fact, he dominated Brazilian politics for the next quarter of a century and his influential legacy endured after his death in 1954. Such a prospect seemed most unlikely in 1930 because Vargas not only came to office at a time of considerable political uncertainty and economic crisis but he was also relatively little known and untested in terms of national politics. The Liberal Alliance had chosen the gaúcho governor to be its leader principally because he was neither a mineiro nor a paulista. He was also valued more for his conciliatory personal style and background for political moderation rather than any flamboyant or radical tendencies. Indeed, Vargas had served as finance minister in the Washington Luis administration and was, therefore, directly associated with the politics of the First Republic.
