“Não há tristeza que resista”: : as escola de samba, o Estado Novo e a Segunda Guerra Mundial (1942-1946)”

Abstract

Recognized worldwide, Carnival is undoubtedly one of Brazil's greatest cultural manifestations. The Samba Schools and their spectacular parades cement this image and reflect luxury and organization. But it wasn't always this way. Early in their development, the Samba Schools were seen as a haven for socially disregarded strata. From the 1930s onward, they managed to gain relative respect, but this was largely due to their association with the Vargas government. As part of the political action of the Estado Novo, through the Department of Press and Propaganda (DIP), what was considered popular culture was incorporated, based on a project of control and propaganda. With the outbreak of World War II (1939-1945) and Brazil's entry into the conflict (1942), the government used the Samba Schools as a propaganda tool to justify participation and to recruit soldiers. This article aims to examine the relationship between Samba Schools and the Vargas government, particularly during the Second World War, seeking to highlight the government's political interference in cultural expression.