Militarism, conflicts and indiscipline in police practices in the State of São Paulo during the First Brazilian Republic

Authors

  • Luís Antônio Francisco de Souza Universidade Estadual Paulista, Unesp, campus de Marília

Abstract

This article examines the challenges involved in the process of police militarization and implementation of police discipline in the State of São Paulo during the First Brazilian Republic (1889 to 1930). The implementation of a militarized police model, initiated by the 1906 French Military Mission, was not fully able to deal with indiscipline issues among policemen. Beyond creating problems of its own, such as fostering a corporatist culture and strengthening rigid hierarchies, military discipline prevented police forces to address new issues that would affect its practices. Documents in the São Paulo State Public Archive provides a window to the daily violence, the personal compromises, the institutional conflicts and the political meddling that was part of police life in the State of São Paulo at the turn of the century.

Key words: police, police history, militarism, indiscipline, São Paulo, First Brazilian Republic.

Downloads

Published

2012-09-26

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 3 (2012): September/December

Section

Dossiê: Militares, milicianos e policiais: instituições, representações e práticas

License

I grant the journal História Unisinos the first publication of my article, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license (which allows sharing of work, recognition of authorship and initial publication in this journal).

I confirm that my article is not being submitted to another publication and has not been published in its entirely on another journal. I take full responsibility for its originality and I will also claim responsibility for charges from claims by third parties concerning the authorship of the article.

I also agree that the manuscript will be submitted according to the journal’s publication rules described above.