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nations. 467 What emerges from an examination <strong>of</strong> Brazil’s foreign policy throughoutthe twentieth century is that the ‘departures’ identified as novel in the twenty-firstcentury are really a return <strong>of</strong> tendencies in Brazilian foreign policy that started toemerge in the 1950s, during the presidency <strong>of</strong> Juscelino Kubitschek (JK) (1956-1961).During JK’s presidency, a number <strong>of</strong> large industrial projects were undertaken inBrazil, including the construction <strong>of</strong> the new capital city, Brasília, in the interior.These public works projects resulted in large balance <strong>of</strong> payments deficits for Brazil,which JK sought to alleviate by seeking new opportunities for Brazilian commercein overseas markets. This initiated a period <strong>of</strong> tentative outward expansion forBrazil, especially in the direction <strong>of</strong> the hitherto neglected continents <strong>of</strong> Africa <strong>and</strong>Asia. 468 This was a marked difference from its main foreign policy thrust for thefirst half <strong>of</strong> the twentieth century, which sought to avoid the uncertainconsequences <strong>of</strong> action, <strong>and</strong> preferred a measured ‘inaction’, 469 <strong>and</strong> focus onestablished Western powers.Brazil’s ‘traditional’, risk-averse mode <strong>of</strong> conducting its international diplomacy hadmany critics, however. At the ideational level, Brazil’s unquestioning allegiance tothe US was seen as problematic by the new breed <strong>of</strong> Brazilian nationalists. Also,those who sought more pragmatism <strong>and</strong> the pursuit <strong>of</strong> Brazil’s national interestsgrew increasingly frustrated by Itamaraty’s ‘legal-historical’ approach to internationaldiplomacy. At the national socio-economic level, the exigencies <strong>of</strong> economicdevelopment were placing pressure on the government to seek new outlets forBrazilian commerce. 470 The concepts <strong>of</strong> ‘National Security’ <strong>and</strong> ‘Development’became virtually entwined around this time, emphasised by the Doutrina de SegurançaNacional (DSN). This National Security Doctrine, as embellished by the militaryEscola Superior de Guerra (ESG) – the repository <strong>of</strong> strategic thinking in Brazil –could “be summarised into the “binomial” <strong>of</strong> security <strong>and</strong> development”, 471 thathas played a role in the formulation <strong>of</strong> Brazilian foreign policy guidelines ever since.467 Selcher, The Afro-Asian Dimension, 14.468 Ibid, 80.469 Ibid.470 Ibid., 12-13.471 Kai Michael Kenkel, “New tricks for the dogs <strong>of</strong> war, or just old w(h)ine in newbottles? - securitisation, defence policy <strong>and</strong> civilian control in Brazil, 1994-2002”,197

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