A changing militant capital?

Tensions and ambiguity within the Movimento Passe Livre (Free Pass Movement)

Abstract

This article discusses a possible process of recomposition of the Brazilian space of militancy considering some changes in the way political militancy is conceived by a part of the actors in dispute - the “autonomist” groups. Based on the analysis of the itineraries of different generations of militants of the Movimento Passe Livre(Free Pass movement) in the city of Florianópolis, SC, Brazil,“youth activism” is analyzed regarding the conditions of legitimizing this type of organization in the political space. The results point out: i) the weight of political competences previously accumulated by the oldest activists in the party sphere; ii) tensions between the objective conditions for the formation of leaders and internal hierarchies, and the principles of existence and legitimation of movements verbalized by the agents.