The nationalism of Alberto Torres and Oliveira Viana in the construction of brazilian constitutional thought

Abstract

This study examines and questions the concept of the "periphery" as a characteristic of Brazil in relation to so-called central nations—viewing it not merely as a hypothetical position of hierarchical inferiority in cultural, political, and social spheres. It analyzes the theories that both support and challenge these ideas, aiming for an understanding that avoids academic anachronism while acknowledging the specific characteristics and peculiarities of the era—elements essential for critically assessing the value judgments of the time. Furthermore, the study draws upon Alberto Torres’s *A Organização Nacional* and Oliveira Viana’s *O Idealismo da Constituição* as indispensable sources for understanding the influence of nationalist thought on the Brazilian constitutional movement, as well as the practical historical impact of their theories.