Cidadania política e finanças em Machado de Assis: a série A semana (1892-1897)

Abstract

In the paper we try to demonstrate that since the characterization of the fictional narrator inside the series of chronics A semana (The Week) (1892-1897), through most recurrent subject matter, the Brazilian economic episode known like Encilhamento and the crisis that followed it, until the criticize about election which were disorganized, fraudulent, violent and corrupt, and absentee voters who did not use the right to elect their representatives, the main chronicler´s concern was with is with the commonweal and citizenship. The currency and financial crisis of these years always has been as a possible solution the expropriation of broadcasts made by major banks and leasing of federal government assets, such as railroads, for the acquisition of new loans. Both solutions, so feared and criticized by the chronicler, were executed. This meant that the folly of the corporations‘ shareholders and from the government would be shared with all citizens taxpayers. The paper also deal with the political citizenship, that is, references to elections and parliamentary work. The narrator criticizes the large number of abstentions that happened. Despite all the criticism about the subterfuges used to disrupt the elections, like fraud and violent actions, the principal responsible for evil election is the own citizen who does not use his right "sovereign" to choose their representatives. In this way, the narrator uses such chronic to incite greater participation suffrage. He does so in two ways: through a direct discourse, without irony and other rhetorical figures, speaking clearly to the reader about the importance of elections and voting. Or, mocking and criticizing the voter in several ways: either by their laziness and ignorance on the use of a constitutional right, or by their exacerbated individualism, which made him worry only about their financial interests with profit, or money in a "lazy" way through gambling. On the other hand, the citizen who made use of voting rights could and should charge their representatives. It is also what the chronicler does. He monitors the work of national assemblies, state and local governments. His main criticism is the lack of attendance of politicians and the few hours worked. This complain is often made in comparison to the British House of Commons, which turned night into legislative work, according to the telegrams of the time. Moreover, the narrator still worried about the lack of civility of the population, especially with the little enthusiasm in the celebration of important dates in history as the Brazilian Thirteen of May, or September Seven. He said the Brazilian people had little regard to the past and future, and is governed only by the present. For the author, this identification was the counterpart of national citizenship.