Crowned conservatism: monarchist movements in contemporary Brazil

Abstract

Using a lay out of ‘restorationists’ groups that were active in the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century as a basis, the following paper seeks to evaluate the attitudes of the current Brazilian Imperial House and of political groups that supports it in present times. In order to do this, it utilizes online material available on monarchist websites as well as an interview with a monarchist militant. The paper suggests that monarchists are trying to take advantage of the political crisis taking place in the second decade of the twentyfirst century in Brazil, joining forces with broader conservative movements that are now gaining strength among Brazilian society. In addition to the restoration and a denunciation of a supposedly inherent instability in the Republic, current monarchists focus their discourse on the opposition of left-wing groups and an emphasis on Christian principles.