The Political Thought of José Osvaldo de Meira Penna

The purpose of this article is to investigate the intellectual influences of José Osvaldo de Meira Penna’s arguments on the origins of the Brazilian paternalistic state. As a classical liberal, Meira Penna is easily connected to different schools of thought such as the Chicago, Virginia, and Austrian schools. In his book, O dinossauro, Meira Penna argues that Brazil’s paternalism stems from past constructivist ideas that were imported into the country. Meira Penna’s arguments display influence from different schools of thought; however, most of Meira Penna’s arguments demonstrate a clear influence from the Austrian school. Meira Penna’s critique of constructivism and call for the formation of a spontaneous order support the conclusion that Friedrich Hayek has had the greatest influence on Meira Penna’s critique of the Brazilian paternalistic state. In the history of ideas, O dinossauro is best understood as a robust Austrian critique of the Brazilian Leviathan.