Coup or Farce: Observations on Legal and Political Aspects of the Anarchist Insurrection of 1918

Abstract

The anarchist insurrection of 1918 in Rio de Janeiro is commonly understood in national historiography as a revolutionary movement. This premise is based on newspapers of the time, which classified it as such, relying on information from the police. However, it is questioned here whether there was a coup or an attempt, considering the reconstruction of the context and the roles of the Federal District Police and anarchist militants at the time. This questioning also stems from a more accurate reading of documents related to the investigation and judicial process that targeted anarchist militants accused of attempting to overthrow the regime. The revolution, which would arise in the context of a workers' strike, as observed from such sources, was not a concrete possibility.