EDUCATION IN THE FIRST REPUBLIC IN THE WORK OF JORGE NAGLE

Abstract

This essay analyzes Jorge Nagle's contributions to the understanding of Brazilian education during the First Republic (1889-1930), based on his seminal work in the História Geral da Civilização Brasileira. The objective is to examine his critique of rigid periodizations that posit an immediate rupture between the Empire and the Republic, proposing instead the notion of a "Republic of the Councillors," marked by the continuity of social and educational practices from the previous period. The method consists of an interpretative analysis of Nagle's text, complemented by the incorporation of critiques from Mirian Jorge Warde, which question anachronisms and the naturalization of concepts such as "reform." The results of the analysis identify Nagle's discussion of the redemptive ideals of education in the early republican years, the "enthusiasm for education" after 1915, and the "pedagogical optimism" of the 1920s, as well as the structural limitations imposed by oligarchic federalism and administrative decentralization. The conclusion is that, despite its limitations, Nagle's work remains essential for Brazilian educational historiography, providing key analytical categories for reflecting on the tensions between continuity and change in the republican educational project.

Keywords: Brazilian Education; First Republic; Jorge Nagle; History of Education; Educational Reforms.