the prohibitionism of drugs in Brazil in interwar (1918-1938): a reading from federalism

Abstract

The prohibitionism is the trademark of public policies that use punishment, and the feeling of fear resulting from it, as a way to ensure social order. The thesis project entitled "The prohibitionism of drugs in Brazil in interwar (1918-1938): a reading from federalism" intends to investigate how the how this kind of policy to control drug use was implemented in Brazil. It is known from the literature that political articulations among medical professionals were crucial for the effectiveness of the prohibition. The Constitution of 1891 defined several duties to the States, including the organization of a health system and the a police force. Therefore, the analysis has to be focuse on the implementation of prohibition's political dynamics within the state. This project aims to establish a comparison between three capital cities: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre. The problem of drug use is traditionally treated from the liberal perspective, denouncing the intrusion of the State in the choices of individual. In Brazil, the rise of Getulio Vargas is associated with totalitarianism and greater intervention in private life. This project aims to establish a new reading on the issue: the state action is not limited to preserve individual freedoms because in some social contexts are developed discursive practices that argue that this limitation is favorable and even desirable. It is, therefore, a change in governalmentality. We will analyze three sets of documents: police and criminal justice sources (not yet explored in the literature of this topic); medical journals; and medical records; and newspapers as an auxiliary set. The central goal of this work is to understand the social and political dynamics that were important in implementing the prohibition on drugs in Brazil and assess the effects of these policies, especially within the police and criminal justice. Therefore, it is possible to recognize social groups who used these substances in their experiences and the controls and resistances generated by new regulations implemented.