Within our national flag, the motto “Order and Progress” is written, based on the maxim of the French philosopher Augusto Comte, reflecting the republican ideals of ordered development of the nation that was in vogue at the end of the 19th Century. His contemporary, the English philosopher John Stuart Mill defines Order as responsible for the preservation of that which already exists, while it is up to Progress to increment it, in such a way that both would cover all that the governments should promote, serving as the base of any governmental philosophy.
The phrase, which today appears to only reflect good sense, has created controversy and the then Bishop of Rio de Janeiro would have refused to bless the flag, understanding it to be, for its positivist roots, incompatible with Catholic principles.
The evolution of Brazil, since the Proclamation of the Republic, however, has not exactly been an ordered progress and it seems that we have entered the 21st Century with the situation worsening, which is, evidently, unacceptable.
We here reiterate the importance of the order, since for individuals and societies to progress, minimal conditions of stability and foreseeability are necessary.
The Pandemic, climate crisis, wars and countless other contemporaneous problems have caused indescribable rupture of the order and we believe that if there exists a common feeling uniting everyone at this moment is a true “hunger for normality.” We want to continue with our lives. It is as simple as this.
This desire, however, appears not to be comprehended by political institutions, in Brazil and around the world, since what we witness are often behaviors that lead to exact opposite situations, stimulating division and animosity (this when they don´t flirt irresponsibly with institutional rupture, which is unacceptable since order, in the contemporary world, has necessary support in the Democratic State of Law).
Our elections are the most well-finished example of how radicalism has dominated the sociopolitical scenario, generating a society that lives in constant institutional upheaves, often involving the three powers of the Republic.
What we need, at this moment, is the exact opposite, for only order and normality will be able to generate a society in which mutual confidence flourishes, so important for social development and cooperation.
Enough of giving wings to the unreasonable, the radicals, the intolerants of any coloring. The authorities of any of the constituted powers (at all levels), which have the exact function of appeasing society, allowing its orderly functioning, generating solutions, cannot be the largest source of disorder and confusion, disturbing the lives of Brazilians who watch appalled, a true comedy of errors on the part of practically all the institutions.
The elections are over. We should focus on organizing ourselves to progress collectively and even our flag itself is clear on this. We cannot lose focus in 2023.
André de Almeida, CEO and Founding Partner of Almeida Advogados