Militarisation by Popular Demand? Explaining the Politics of Internal Military Roles in Brazil

Abstract

Why are Latin American politicians drawing the armed forces into politics and public security? What consequences does this democratically controlled re-militarisation have for civil–military relations? With a case study of Brazil, this article introduces the conceptual tool of ‘negative convergence’: a widespread acceptance of increasing the military's internal roles among political leaders, military elites and society. Drawing upon public opinion surveys, the article analyses the ‘demand’ for internal military roles. A qualitative analysis of secondary literature and news reports then analyses the ‘supply-side’ of negative convergence: political leaders' willingness to increase the armed forces' internal roles and the military's reactions.