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The Agrarian question, the Goulart administration, and the 1964 coup half a century later1 1 This article presents the results of research divulged in the Thematic Symposium "Rural History in Brazil: research, teaching, and the office of the historian," coordinated by Marina Machado (UERJ) and myself at the XVI Regional Meeting of ANPUH-RJ in July 2014. I would like to thank my colleagues from the regional sections of ANPUH Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Pará who invited me to roundtables, talks, and conferences in the second semester of 2014 and stimulated the submission of this text to RBH. Moreover, I would like thank CNPq which funded the scientific initiation grant of Luciene Garrido (UFF) and Capes, for supporting the research of Pedro Balthazar (UFF), whose completed and underway orientations have reinforced the understandings sustained here.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to discuss the role of the agrarian question in the political crisis that led to the overthrow of the Goulart administration (19611964). Initially, the treatment of the agrarian question by the historiographical production during the 50th anniversary of the coup d´état is identified, which is related to the sources explored and research carried out under the auspices of Rural History. It is sought to investigate three key aspects that cannot be separated: the debate on land reform, the role and the activities of the Peasant Leagues, and the rural trade unionization process, a governmental initiative. It is argued that the rehabilitation of the agrarian question helps to better understand important issues of the 1964 crisis, such as political competition in the period, the thesis of the radicalization of the left, and the expected and unforeseen effects of labor policies.

Keywords:
Agrarian Question; João Goulart's government; 1964 coup

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