"Esses elementos que enfeiam a cidade"

Mendigos e vadios na Capital da República (Rio de Janeiro, 1956 – 1960)

Abstract

Based upon the concept of disqualification developed by Laura de Mello e Souza, this
article aims to investigate the living conditions of beggars and vagrants, and their relationship
with public authorities in the city of Rio de Janeiro during the Juscelino Kubitschek Government
(1956-1961). The documentary vestiges hereby used are the newspapers and, to analyze this
documentation, the Critical Discourse Analysis methodology was adopted. Despite the validity of
the democratic regime in the period, it is possible to notice the intense campaign set up by the
State for the elimination or, at least, the control of these individuals in the public spaces of the
city. Although there had been economic, political and social advances, beggars and vagrants, as a
group, only faced the violation of their rights, repression, and oppression.