E WHAT ABOUT THIS STAIN OF “CORDIALITY”?

THE MYTH AND ITS PRESENCE IN THE BRAZILIAN LABOUR LAW

Abstract

The expression “cordial man” – object of several interpretations – has been commonly used by politicians and jurists to assert certain psychosocial traits shared by Brazilians: conciliation, passivity, peacefulness and benevolence. According to a number of modern players in the political and legal fields, these are the dominant characteristics of the Brazilian working class. Such applications of the concept of cordiality – in the sense conferred to the word by Cassiano Ricardo – ends up legitimizing a set of ideas that negate social movements, political resistance, and labour disputes. Such negation stands in contrast to the social practices of the Brazilian people. Thus, this paper aims to discuss the reproduction of the idea of cordiality as myth and as an ideological and argumentative tool used by politicians and jurists to: i) discourage the emergence of disputes with the potential of causing multiple cleavages in the Brazilian society; ii) impose limits to the right of resistance; and iii) establish authoritarian traits in Brazilian labour relations.