by Matthew Madore
Love him or hate him, the election of Donald J Trump in 2016 to the presidency of the United States sent shockwaves around the world. Due to what has been colloquially dubbed the Trump Effect, populist and nationalist movements have taken root in numerous other countries. Two years later, we have seen this permeate to a once predominantly left wing region, Latin America.
Brazil, the undisputed hegemon in the area, recently went the way of right wing nationalism with the election of Jair Bolsonaro. Like Donald Trump, he was seen as someone who would put the interests of Brazil and Brazilians first and foremost, regardless of what his own government or establishment politics had to say about it. This resonated with millions of people across the country the same way it did in the United States two years prior.
His no-nonsense approach to politics has even garnered him support from groups who usually do not align with this sort of ideology, such as women, who often vocalized their support for Bolsonaro due to his hard stance on crime and his willingness to chemically castrate rapists and child molesters.(1) This and other similar policies like it allowed him to claim victory in Brazil by quite a decisive margin, winning by around 10%.(2) However, the question remains whether or not Brazil can afford a Donald Trump of their own. I would argue they cannot. As I previously stated, regardless of one’s own personal views on nationalism or Donald Trump specifically, the impact his election has had on the political system is palpable and historic in nature.
His win has sparked a seemingly never-ending dialogue about what it means to be American and what kind of nation we ought to be. The main difference is, the United States can afford to be nationalist, Brazil cannot. The United States is the most powerful and successful country on earth, self-sustaining and capable in every single way. Despite our identity crisis that is Donald Trump and the ensuing internal strife, we still maintain the largest economy, strongest military and global dominance.
Brazil does not share any of these qualities, so they simply cannot afford the inevitable internal debate that nationalism breeds. It is true that in a healthy democracy there will always be a certain amount of conflicting yet constructive dialogue, but as we have seen in the last two years, a nationalist candidate can bring things to a whole new level, a level Brazil cannot afford to be at right now. With several economic woes and regional unrest in nearly every neighboring country around them, Brazil needs a leader who will be willing to work with other nations, not one who is combative and borderline isolationist.
Recently, during the 100th anniversary commemorating the end of World War 1, French President Emmanuel Macron made the argument that nationalism is a far departure from patriotism, as it betrays a nation’s values of inclusivity, multilateralism and open dialogue.(3) I have my own gripes with this argument, but overall I believe the message highlights why Bolsonaro is wrong for Brazil.
Nationalism is an extreme form a patriotism that can be equated in ways to isolationism. Brazil needs a patriotic leader, one who rightfully prioritizes the needs of his country and his people, but not at the expense of a complete disregard for the world around them.
They simply are not in a position to do so. Rather, they need to work with the other countries of Latin America to build a better future for all people in the region. The United States is in a wholly unique position, so not only can we manage any negatives that come from a Trump presidency, we can learn from them and grow as a nation.
However, for Brazil and countries like it, the Trump Effect is a detriment — and Bolsonaro is not the answer.
1. Phillips, Dom. “’He’s Not Perfect’: Why Do so Many Brazilians Support Rightwinger JairBolsonaro?” The Guardian , Guardian News and Media, 14 Sept. 2018
2. Bloomberg.com , Bloomberg, www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-brazil-election/ .
3. Liptak, Kevin. “Macron Rebukes Nationalism as Trump Observes Armistice Day.” CNN ,Cable News Network, 12 Nov. 2018
Matthew Madore is a graduate student with Northeastern University. He wrote this article on the recent election of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil because he felt is not only pertinent to the times we are living in, but also shares striking similarities to the situation in the United States.
PHOTO by Geraldo Magela/Agência Senado – https://www.flickr.com/photos/agenciasenado/31879217408/in/album-72157673166596547/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74228114