Encounter between religious fundamentalism and the market: historical, economical and political foundations of Brazilian’s “escola sem partido” (school without party)

Abstract

This article analyzes the latest political and social events related to the appearance and the increase of Brazilian’s movement called “Escola sem partido” (School Without Party). This article also seeks to stablish a dialogue between the propositions of that movement and the nuances occurred in political life and in Brazilian and world economy. The question that guided the development of this article was: what are the historical, economical and political foundations that are oriented as actions and proposals of the movement School without Party? Based on the Marxist interpretation of history, this article uses as method historical and dialectical material. The article sought to identify the political, economical and historical foundations and assumptions which support the fundamentalist and religious theses of the movement “School without Party”, relating them to the current stage of the crisis of the capitalist system and the consequent rise of ultraliberal ideology. The article concludes that the existence of movements such as the “School without Party” is part of an action articulated by the far-right political sectors, and those actions aim to deconstruct the foundations of liberal democracy. By adopting the ultraliberal ideology and religious fundamentalism of Neo-pentecostal Protestants and Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the movement “School without Party” seeks to ensure the formation of citizens who are submissive to the logic of the ruling class. In this context, the educational sphere has become one of the favorites fronts of far-right governments that intent to hegemonize ideologies and interests of ruling classes in social relations through education.