State of Exception and Internal Colonialism:The Construction of the Belo Monte Power Plant in Brazil

Giovanni Martins de Araújo Mascarenhas

doi:10.5771/0506-7286-2023-3-611

Contents
- Chapter Expand | CollapseAuthorsPage
- 491–492 Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis 491–492
- 493–610 Symposium 493–610
  - 493–505 The Directive Constitution in the Varieties of Constitutionalism: An Introduction Michael Riegner Michael Riegner 493–505
  - 506–523 "Constitucionalismo Dirigente" and Transformative Constitutionalism: Common Elements, Differences, and Methodological Challenges Mariana Canotilho Mariana Canotilho 506–523
  - 524–548 Asking for Directions: The Origins of Gomes Canotilho Directive Constitutionalism at the Crossroads of Contemporary Constitutional Thought Luís António Malheiro Meneses do Vale Luís António Malheiro Meneses do Vale 524–548
  - 549–567 Transformation by Decree? A (Brief) Reflection on the ‘Directive Constitution’ (Constituição Dirigente) in Brazil Florian F. Hoffmann, Fabio Carvalho Leite Florian F. Hoffmann, Fabio Carvalho Leite 549–567
  - 568–586 The Theories of Constituição Dirigente and Transformative Constitutionalism and Their Reception by Brazilian Constitutional Theory: An Approach Based on Critical Comparative Law Deo Campos Dutra Deo Campos Dutra 568–586
  - 587–601 Bridging Past and Future: Transformative Constitutionalism and Directive Constitutions Amidst Authoritarian Challenges Juliana Cesario Alvim Gomes Juliana Cesario Alvim Gomes 587–601
  - 602–610 A Comment from a South African Perspective on Directive and Transformative Constitutionalism in Comparative Constitutional Law Jonathan Klaaren Jonathan Klaaren 602–610
- 611–654 Abhandlungen / Articles 611–654
  - 611–632 State of Exception and Internal Colonialism:The Construction of the Belo Monte Power Plant in Brazil Giovanni Martins de Araújo Mascarenhas Giovanni Martins de Araújo Mascarenhas 611–632
  - 633–654 Lessons from the Law and Politics of Federalism in Africa: Federalism Is Bigger Than Federation; Constitutions Are More Than Single Mega-Documents; the International Trumps the Domestic; and the Past Continues to Matter Jan Erk Jan Erk 633–654
- 655–662 Buchbesprechungen / Book Reviews 655–662
  - 655–659 Arun K Thiruvengadam, Constitution of India: A Contextual Analysis Florian Matthey-Prakash Florian Matthey-Prakash 655–659
  - 659–662 Silvia von Steinsdorff, Ece Göztepe, Maria Abad Andrade and Felix Petersen, The Constitutional Court of Turkey Between Legal and Political Reasoning İlker Gökhan Sen İlker Gökhan Sen 659–662
- 663–663 VRÜ/WCL Article Prize Volume 54 (2021) 663–663
- 664–664 Call for Papers 664–664
- 665–666 Impressum 665–666
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VRÜ Verfassung und Recht in Übersee , page 611 - 632

State of Exception and Internal Colonialism:The Construction of the Belo Monte Power Plant in Brazil

Autoren

Giovanni Martins de Araújo Mascarenhas

DOI
- doi.org/10.5771/0506-7286-2023-3-611
- ISSN: 0506-7286
- ISSN online: 2941-9603
Abstract

This study analyzes two of the most important pillars of Brazil's developmentalist project: its internal colonialism and the use of the State of Exception. In order to do that, the focus of the analysis is the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, identified as an outstanding case of Brazil's development project. The adopted methodology is based on bibliographic and documentary review through law and literature. It explains the Brazilian project by tracing parallels between the Belo Monte plant and the construction of the windmill in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. The first parallel is the manipulation of ideas to generate social legitimization. In Orwell’s novella, the legitimation was generated by the popular demand for better lives for all, summarized in the promise of the “three-days week”, while in Brazil the basis for social legitimation is the fuzzy concept of development, almost interchangeable with economic growth, based on a notion of trickle-down economics according to which the whole population would stand to gain from the enrichment of a few. The second parallel is the creation of a State of Exception aimed at making the exception of law the rule in specific territories and to specific populations in order to legally justify the constructions. Finally, it brings up a debate about what it means to be a subject of rights in a context of autoimperialism, drawing attention to the fact that traditional populations, such as indigenous peoples, are being sacrificed in the name of a Brazilian developmental project, as for accumulation to exists it needs to coexist with violence and hoarding.
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