The fight is no longer the same: the political articulations in São Paulo's provincial scene, 1838-1842

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the complex network of political interests and disputes occurred between 1838 and 1842 in the province of São Paulo. In 1842 the political scene in São Paulo has undergone a polarization into two groups (at least): the self-named Paulista party and the Order party. Both "parties" began a civil war, but in fact the "Liberal Revolution" (as it was called) was only one of the consequences of the opposition between different State projects and different understandings of the political arena. As the debates took place in the Provincial Assembly and on newspapers pages, they both offer important elements to understand the making of the politic groups and theirs political practices.