The Brazilian rhetoric of intransigence: Media and politics in the first Lula’s government

Abstract

This article attempts to the three theses proposed by Albert Hirschman – threat, perversity and futility –, in “Rhetoric of intransigence”, in the speech of the leaders of the Chamber of Deputies of the two main opposition parties (PSDB and PFL) and the discourse of media, represented here by the magazine Veja, during the first Lula government. Regarding the predominant thesis in the two types of speech, opposition and media use the same arguments concerning the threat that 1) the media are suffering with the case of expulsion from the New York Times correspondent, the Federal Council of Journalism and Ancinav and 2) private property and democracy would suffer with the MST, social movement that receive funding from the government and count on your sympathy. Sometimes, the speech of one is used as source of the other. As for the thesis less significant, on the social programs of government (Fome Zero, Bolsa Família, policy of quotas), however, different arguments are used, because if the media take the discourse of the opposition, it would really become another party, and if opposition take the speech of the media, it would no longer defend the achievements of the previous government of their parties. Key words: Communication; Politics; Speech; Parties; Media