The article questions those interpretations that state the material and symbolic exclusion of Brazilian rural world from the social legislation released during the Estado Novo regime (1937-1945). Government efforts to disseminate social laws through the radio and the newspapers were appropriated by peasants as shown in oral testimony, letters sent to president Vargas, administrative proceedings, and even law-suits based on CLT (Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho). This would suggest that peasants' use of social legislation was related to the rural social movements preceding the military coup of 1964.
Vargas; Estado Novo; social legislation; appropriation; peasants; rural areas