ABSTRACT
This article assesses the concepts of Antônio José Gonçalves Chaves, a wealthy rancher from Portugal based in Rio Grande do Sul, about how would be the ideal state organization during a transitional phase between the “United Kingdom” statement - in which the Brazilian autonomy was contemplated in a liberal context - and the monarchy formation in a country that was almost independent, where the Constituent Assembly is being organized. There is a problematization on his positions, given the political context of that time, and considering his potential integration in what is called the “liberal radical” field, regarding the emphasis in the municipal and provincial issues, as well as the linking between his political and socioeconomic opinions. The primary source of the work is the book Memórias ecônomo-políticas sobre a administração pública do Brasil, published by Chaves between 1822 and 1823, going through topics such as colonial administration, slavery, the land issue in Brazil and the socioeconomic structure of Rio Grande do Sul.
Keywords:
liberalism; provinces; federative monarchy; municipalities