Landless Workers' Movement

Landless Workers' Movement is a social movement in Brazil that fights for land reform and social justice, inspired by the ideas of Mao Zedong, Che Guevara, and Leon Trotsky. The movement is closely linked to the Brazilian Communist Party, the Workers' Party (Brazil), and the Central Única dos Trabalhadores. It has been influenced by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, the Sandinista National Liberation Front, and the Cuban Revolution. The movement's leaders, including João Pedro Stédile and Jose Rainha Jr., have been inspired by the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Antonio Gramsci.

● History of

the Movement The Landless Workers' Movement was formed in 1984, during the transition from the Brazilian military government to a democratic regime, with the support of the Brazilian Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, and the Latin American Episcopal Council. The movement emerged as a response to the concentration of land ownership in the hands of a few large landholders, such as the Gerdau Group and the Vale (company), and the resulting poverty and inequality faced by rural workers, including those in the São Paulo state and the Northeast Region, Brazil. The movement has been influenced by the Mexican Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and the Chinese Revolution, and has received support from organizations such as the Via Campesina, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Key events in the movement's history include the 1985 Corumbiara massacre, the 1996 Eldorado dos Carajás massacre, and the 2005 occupation of the Syngenta farm in Rio Grande do Sul, which was supported by the Green Party (Brazil), the Socialist Party of Brazil, and the Democratic Labour Party (Brazil).

● Organization and Structure

The Landless Workers' Movement is a decentralized organization with a strong presence in rural areas, particularly in the Northeast Region, Brazil and the Southeast Region, Brazil. The movement is composed of various sectors, including the National Coordination of the Landless Workers' Movement, the State Coordinations, and the Municipal Coordinations, which work closely with the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform, and the Ministry of Agrarian Development (Brazil). The movement also has a strong alliance with other social movements, such as the Homeless Workers' Movement, the Movement of People Affected by Dams, and the Brazilian Black Front, which are supported by the Ford Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and the European Union. The movement's leaders, including João Pedro Stédile and Jose Rainha Jr., have been influenced by the ideas of Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, and Slavoj Žižek, and have participated in international events such as the World Social Forum and the International Conference of Agrarian Reform.

● Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of the Landless Workers' Movement is to achieve land reform and promote social justice in rural areas, with the support of organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank. The movement seeks to redistribute land from large landholders to small farmers and rural workers, and to promote sustainable agriculture and agroecology, as advocated by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development and the United Nations Environment Programme. The movement also aims to improve the living conditions of rural workers, including access to education, healthcare, and housing, with the support of the Brazilian Ministry of Education, the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and the Brazilian Ministry of Cities. The movement's objectives are aligned with the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the American Convention on Human Rights.

● Methods and Tactics

The Landless Workers' Movement uses a variety of methods and tactics to achieve its goals, including occupations, marches, and protests, which are often supported by the Brazilian Bar Association, the National Confederation of Workers in Agriculture, and the Central Única dos Trabalhadores. The movement also engages in negotiations with government officials, such as the Ministry of Agrarian Development (Brazil), and lobbying efforts to influence land reform policies, with the support of the Institute for Agrarian Reform, the Brazilian Institute of Environmental Protection, and the National Council for Food and Nutrition Security. The movement's tactics are often inspired by the strategies of other social movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and are supported by organizations such as the Avaaz, the Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Watch.

● Impact and Outcomes

The Landless Workers' Movement has had a significant impact on land reform policies in Brazil, with the support of the Brazilian Congress, the Supreme Federal Court, and the National Council of Justice. The movement's efforts have led to the creation of the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform and the implementation of policies such as the National Plan for Land Reform, which was supported by the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the European Union. The movement has also contributed to the establishment of agrarian reform settlements and the distribution of land to thousands of rural workers, with the support of the Brazilian Ministry of Agrarian Development, the Brazilian Ministry of Social Development, and the Brazilian Ministry of Environment. However, the movement still faces significant challenges, including resistance from large landholders, such as the Gerdau Group and the Vale (company), and the need for continued social mobilization and political pressure to achieve its goals, with the support of organizations such as the Via Campesina, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

● International Relations and Support

The Landless Workers' Movement has established strong international relations and received support from various organizations and movements around the world, including the Via Campesina, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The movement has participated in international events such as the World Social Forum and the International Conference of Agrarian Reform, and has received support from organizations such as the Avaaz, the Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Watch. The movement's leaders, including João Pedro Stédile and Jose Rainha Jr., have been influenced by the ideas of Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, and Slavoj Žižek, and have participated in international events such as the World Forum on Food Sovereignty and the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Social Justice. The movement's international relations and support have been critical to its success and have helped to amplify its message and mobilize international support for its cause, with the support of the United Nations, the European Union, and the Organization of American States.

Category:Social movements in Brazil