New Books Network Militarization and Democracy in Contemporary Brazil
Dec 16, 2025
In this discussion, Octávio Amorim Neto, a political science professor, and Igor Acácio, an expert in democracy and civil-military relations, dive into Brazil's troubling trend of militarization. They explore how presidentialism and extremist leaders weaken civilian control and facilitate autocratization. Their insights reveal Brazil's sharp remilitarization since 2016, especially under Bolsonaro, and draw comparisons to other nations facing similar challenges. The conversation highlights the complexities of civil-military ties and the critical implications for democracy.
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Presidentialism Enables Politicization
- Presidential systems give executives strong channels to politicize the military through appointments and commander-in-chief powers.
- This institutional link makes cabinet militarization more likely under permissive conditions like weak parties or extremist leaders.
Civilian Control Is Core To Democracy
- Civilian control over the military is a necessary condition for functioning democracy, especially during autocratization attempts.
- Autocratizing leaders require at least partial military collaboration to succeed, making militarization a red flag.
Brazil As An Extreme Case
- Brazil shows large historical variation in cabinet militarization, peaking under Bolsonaro at nearly 40% in 2020.
- That extreme makes Brazil a revealing case to study how militarization operates within democracies.
