A presença da concepção educacional de Condorcet nos primeiros projetos de instrução pública do Brasil independente e sua ausência na legislação aprovada (1822 - 1857)

Abstract

The subject of this dissertation is part of the discussions on the primary public education in the Empire of Brazil. The study period begins in 1822, with the independence of Brazil, and ends in 1857, with the fall of the chamber occupied by Couto Ferraz as the Minister of Empire Affairs. The first public education project of an independent Brazil was proposed by Martim Francisco Ribeiro d'Andrada Machado, presented to the Brazilian Legislative General Assembly in 1823, and the second by Januário da Cunha Barbosa, presented to the Legislative Assembly in 1826. These projects followed the educational principles of Condorcet, which defended a secular public school financed, but not controlled by the State. However, the legislation approved in the study period denied such ideals. Therefore, the following question arises: why Condorcet?s framing of school, which is present in the first two Independent Brazil?s public education projects, is not found in the Brazilian educational legislation in the period of 1822-1857? The study?s theoretical and methodological basis is the historical materialism. The sources used are: the writings produced by Condorcet, the Constitution of the Empire of Brazil, 1824, the Additional Act of 1834, the educational legislation produced in the Court of Brazil, Annals of the Brazilian Parliament, 1823, the Throne Speeches, and the public education projects by Martim Francisco d'Andrada Machado (1823) and Januário da Cunha Barbosa (1826). In conclusion, the educational assumptions advocated by Condorcet were found not to appear in primary education legislation because of the dominant thinking among Brazilian politicians at the time, who understood that the primary public education should train individuals to be respectful of the laws and social hierarchies. In order to instill these ideals in the Brazilian society, school was used as an ideological state apparatus and moral principles linked to the tenets of Roman Catholic Religion were central.