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Ruy Barbosa | |
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 Ruy Barbosa in 1907 | |
| Judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice | |
| In office 30 January 1922 – 1 March 1923 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Epitácio Pessoa |
| Vice President of the Federal Senate | |
| In office 25 October 1906 – 25 June 1909 | |
| Preceded by | Joaquim Murtinho |
| Succeeded by | Quintino Bocaiuva |
| Senator forBahia | |
| In office 15 November 1890 – 1 March 1923 | |
| Preceded by | Seat established by Decree No. 510 of 1890 |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Lago |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 15 November 1889 – 21 January 1891 | |
| President | Deodoro da Fonseca |
| Preceded by | Viscount of Ouro Preto |
| Succeeded by | Tristão de Alencar Araripe |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 15 December 1878 – 3 September 1884 | |
| Constituency | Bahia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1849-11-05)5 November 1849 |
| Died | 1 March 1923(1923-03-01) (aged 73) Petrópolis,Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Political party | Liberal (1871–1889) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Marina Ruy Barbosa (great-great-great-granddaughter) |
| Alma mater | Faculty of Law of Largo de São Francisco |
| Part ofa series on |
| Liberalism in Brazil |
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Ruy Barbosa de Oliveira (5 November 1849 – 1 March 1923), also known asRui Barbosa, was aBrazilianpolitician,writer,jurist, anddiplomat.[1][2]
He was a prominent defender of civil liberties who called for the abolition of slavery inBrazil, Barbosa represented Brazil in the secondHague convention, argued forBrazil's participation in World War I on the side of the Allies, and personally ordered thedestruction of all government records pertaining to slavery while he was Minister of Finance.
He was forced into exile during the presidency ofFloriano Peixoto, as his economic policies while he was finance minister paved the way for adisaster in the Brazilian economy. After exile, Barbosa ran for the presidency multiple times, though all of his attempts ultimately failed.
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Rui Barbosa was born inSalvador, Bahia. He gave his first public speech for the abolition ofslavery when he was 19. For the rest of his life he remained an uncompromising defender ofcivil liberties.Slavery in Brazil was finally abolished by theLei Áurea ("Golden Law") in 1888. He was also one of the republicanist participants in the 1889 coup that overthrew the monarchy ofDom Pedro II, though in later years he would praise the late deposed monarch.[3]
Part of Barbosa's legacy to history is that he authorised, as Minister of Finance on 14 December 1890, the destruction of most government records relating to slavery.[4] The avowed reason for this destruction, which took several years to be enacted and was followed by his successors, was to erase the "stain" of slavery onBrazilian history.[5] However, historians today agree that Barbosa aimed to prevent any possibleindemnification of the former slave-owners for this liberation.[5] Indeed, eleven days after the abolition of slavery, a law project was deposed at the Chamber, proposing some indemnification to the slave owners.[5]
Barbosa's liberal ideas were influential in drafting of thefirst republican constitution. He was a supporter offiat money, as opposed to agold standard, in Brazil. During his term as finance secretary, he implemented far-reaching reforms of Brazil's financial regime, instituting a vigorously expansionistmonetary policy. The result was chaos and instability: the so-called fiat experiment resulted in thebubble ofencilhamento, a dismal politic-economic failure. Due to his controversial role during it, in the following administration ofFloriano Peixoto, he was forced into exile until Floriano's term ended. Years later, after his return he was elected as a Senator. He headed the Brazilian delegation to the 2nd Hague Conference and was brilliant in its deliberations. As candidate of the Civilian Party in the presidential election of 1910, Barbosa waged one of the most memorable campaigns in Brazilian politics. He was not successful and lost toMarshal Hermes da Fonseca. He ran again in the elections of 1914 and 1919, both times losing to the government candidate.
During World War I, he played a key role among those who advocated theAllied cause, arguing that Brazil should be moreinvolved in the war. Barbosa died inPetrópolis, nearRio de Janeiro, in 1923.[6]
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Patron: Evaristo da Veiga | 1st Academic of the 10th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters 28 January 1897–1 March 1923 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Brazilian Academy of Letters 3 December 1908–15 May 1919 | Succeeded by |
