Introduction
Brazil (a Wikipedia link) is a country in South America with a population of about 214 million people. It is bordered to the north by Columbia and Venezuela and Guyana and Suriname and French Guiana, to the east by the Atlantic ocean, to the south by Uruguay and Argentina, and to the west by Paraguay and Bolivia and Peru. Its capital is Brasilia and its largest city is São Paulo.
It is a democratic federal republic with a presidential system. It operates as a secular state.
History
Pre-colonial era (Before 1500 CE)
- Home to millions of Indigenous people divided into over 1,000 distinct tribes.
- Societies relied on fishing, hunting, and sustainable farming, shaping early regional traditions.
Portuguese colonization (1500–1822)
- Discovery: In 1500, Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral arrived and claimed the land for Portugal.
- Resource boom: Early trade involved brazilwood for red dye and sugar plantations.
- Enslaved labor: Portugal decimated Indigenous populations via disease and war, then enslaved millions of Africans to work on the plantations. Gold and diamonds were discovered in the late 17th century.
- Royal shift: In 1808, the Portuguese royal family fled Napoleon and moved the empire’s court to Rio de Janeiro, thus elevating Brazil to a kingdom.
Empire of Brazil (1822–1889)
- Independence: In 1822, Prince Dom Pedro I declared Brazil independent from Portugal and became the first emperor.
- Coffee economy: The 19th century saw a large shift toward coffee production, making Brazil a global supplier.
- Abolition of slavery: Pressure mounted against human slavery, leading to the abolition of slavery in 1888 via the Lei Áurea.
The Republic and modern era (1889 to present)
- First republic (1889–1930): A military coup overthrew Emperor Pedro II. That established a federal republic dominated by coffee oligarchs.
- Vargas era (1930–1945): Getúlio Vargas seized power. He launched industrialization reforms and ruled as a dictator during the Estado Novo before supporting the Allies in the Second World War. In 1960, the modern inland capital of Brasília was built.
- Military dictatorship (1964–1985): Backed by the US, the armed forces launched a coup. They established a regime that lasted over two decades.
- Return to democracy: Civilian rule was reestablished via the progressive Constitution of 1988. Brazil continues to navigate economic growth alongside social inequality and environmental preservation of the Amazon rain forest.
Current day
Religion in Brazil (a Wikipedia link) is as follows (as of 2022):
- Christianity: 83.6%
- Catholicism: 56.7%
- Protestant: 26.9%
- No religion: 9.3%
- Spiritism: 1.8%
- Afro-Brazilian: 1.1%
- Other religion: 4.2%
The country’s first constitution in 1824 established a bicameral legislature and enshrined principles such as freedom of religion and of the press.
Brazil is a regional power and has been described as a rising global power. It has one of the 10 largest economies in the world (in both nominal and GDP terms).
Issues
There has been a rapid growth of Evangelical and Pentecostal groups and that has resulted in significant political power in the National Congress. This has tested the limits of state neutrality on social and legislative matters.
There have been lawsuits challenging the use of state funds for religious monuments, public events, and the display of religious symbols in government buildings.
Debate continues about religious education in public schools.
High profile figures (such as the former president Jair Bolsonaro) have used Christian identity as a political tool, thus leading to concerns about religious impartiality in public affairs.
Secular and atheist groups
The following are the main secular and humanist organisations operating in Brazil (with links to their web sites):
Forum
Regarding this forum, remember:
- this is a place to help others, so please be polite,
- that we’re trying to reduce the effects of religion in this society,
- that participants may have been badly affected by religion,
- to respect the privacy of everyone (including yourself),
- the law.
If your motives or actions are otherwise, you will need to find another venue.