By Leandro Carvalho
Coronelismo had its origins in Brazil from the moment when Dom Pedro I, before leaving the country for Portugal, in 1827, created the position of justice of the peace. The main consequence of the creation of this position was the expansion of the local power of landowners and slaves.
The justice of the peace was elected by active citizens (people who had the right to vote because they had a certain income) of each region and exercised the function of police (had the power to arrest and judging people). Therefore, the creation of the justice of the peace meant the withdrawal of justice from the public sphere and became the responsibility of local landowners and farmers.
During the regency period (1831-1840) the abuse of power by the justices of the peace was common. From the moment they took power, the regents created the National Guard, which ended up helping to expand the power of landowners and slaves.
The National Guard quickly replaced the Army, a fact carried out by regents who did not trust the Army officers, who were inclined to demand the return of the Emperor.
Participation in the National Guard in Brazil was stipulated by the individual's income. During the regency period, the military titles of lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel (the highest rank) were sold by the imperial government. In this way, the great landowners and slave owners of different Brazilian regions came to have military authority. During the First Republic (1889-1930), coronelismo was accentuated as a local power and, at that moment, the colonel began to exercise the so-called political mandonism.
Over time, the Colonels of the National Guard began to lead the social life of each region in Brazil. They commanded and dismantled the local population, that is, they began to have the power of life and death over the people who lived close to them.
The National Guard ceased to exist at the beginning of the 20th century, however, to this day, some landowners (large landowners) are still called colonels.