Review of We have suffered enough. Let our next generation to be free

[Harty Muli]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "We have suffered enough. Let our next generation to be free" by Ademir Souza.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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In his book, We Have Suffered Enough. Let Our Next Generation to be Free, Ademir Souza considers the challenges of governance in his native homeland of Brazil. He hopes the younger generation, for whom the book is intended for, will learn from the mistakes of past Brazilian administrations and make the right choice in selecting future leaders. One key issue that forms the backbone of his writing relates to the ideology of the different political parties in Brazil. And of most concern to him, nonetheless, is the fact that young working-class men and women think that communism is the key to success and freedom.

The first few chapters of his book are concerned with the history of political thought in his country, as he traces Brazil’s political metamorphosis from a monarchy to a democracy. On gaining independence in 1822, Brazil adopted a constitutional monarchy under an emperor, before experimenting with a two-party system founded on the British model. From 1889 to 1930, Brazil adopted a constitutional framework hinged on the U.S. constitution under a president. After WWI, Brazil’s constitution was remodeled after Benito Mussolini’s, Italian leader’s, constitution, which ushered in the politics of corporatism in Brazil. The years 1945 to 1965, on the other hand, were known for multiparty democratic politics, before the army seized power and exercised sole control of the government for the next two decades. Eventually, in 1985, Brazil saw the transition of power back to a civilian president.

I must admit that before President Jair Bolsonaro’s, the current Brazilian president’s, term, I knew nothing about Brazil’s politics. Then, early in 2020, as if he was out to win a popularity contest, I heard that he’d dismissed the coronavirus disease as a “little flu.” So, what I liked most in this book had to do with his story and flamboyant personality. Of Brazil’s former or current leaders, Jair Bolsonaro, the former army captain, stands out because he’s anti-establishment and the country’s first far-right leader (all the others subscribed to leftist ideologies). Significantly, Bolsonaro was elected against the background of a massive criminal investigation that saw two former presidents either jailed or impeached from office. Given these circumstances, I would’ve, similarly, voted for the man; though, I think he’s a little misunderstood, especially by the media.

Contrastingly, Souza’s book is not without fault. Other than the editing errors that were enough to affect its rating, I felt that Souza had included some unverified information in his work. For example, writing about a rally that had been organized on the country’s Independence Day, Souza framed his report as follows: “…there were ‘unconfirmed’ reports that Bolsonaro planned to mobilize mobs of armed citizens…” Yet in another story based on a São Paulo rally that was addressed by Bolsonaro on the eve of the same holiday, Souza reported that “Bolsonaro ‘supposedly’ condemned the STF (The Supreme Federal Court) minister, Alexandre de Moraes…”

Due to this, I found Souza’s book hard to follow and comprehend. Because of the two weaknesses, I rate the book 2 out of 4 stars. I recommend the book to anyone interested in Brazil’s establishment, history, and nationalism. At the same time, the information contained in the book may be extraneous to anyone living outside Brazil.

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We have suffered enough. Let our next generation to be free
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[José Cortez]

This book does not look like a good fit for me. I guess I would have to pass. Thank you for this awesome review.

[Miracle Ozuma]

This book is a kind of describing the way I feel now.

[Badmusjamiu44]

This book revealed the agony of slavery of any kind and agitation to freedoms. And everlasting breakthrough in the lands of both colonial master's and political tyran.

[Harsh Soni 3]

It appears that the book is vital in understanding the politics in the Brazil, at the same time it also seems polarized and one-sided. I am uncertain whether I am going to read it or not, but it will surely in my reading list. Thanks for this great review.

[Ghuddie]

A book on understanding the Brazilian political space will be great to read, especially for people that are politically inclined. Great review.

[Venus2304]

This doesn't seem like what I can devote time to read. Nice work on the review anyway.