The Revolt of the Whip

摘要

In November 1910, only a few days after a new president of the republic had been formally sworn into office, a naval revolt occurred in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro. Officers fled as sailors took command of the Brazilian navy's two largest warships, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. Disconcerted by the surprise turn of events and terrified of bombardment, the new Brazilian government decided to grant an amnesty to the rebels. At a time when the Brazilian elite sought to portray the 'new'Brazil to the world as a nation enjoying political stability and economic progress, the 1910 naval revolt represented a humiliating setback. In particular, the loss of control over the two state-of-the-art warships, which had only recently been purchased from Britain, was regarded by contemporaries as a telling commentary on the inherent deficiencies and composition of the Brazilian national character.