INFLUÊNCIA DO PATRIARCALISMO DE GILBERTO FREYRE NA ADMINISTRAÇÃO PÚBLICA BRASILEIRA: Autoritarismo e personalismo nas práticas de gestão

Abstract

This study examines the influence of patriarchalism, as interpreted by Gilberto Freyre, on the historical formation and contemporary practice of public administration in Brazil. The research assumes that the patriarchal model not only shaped social relations during the colonial period but also established values, behaviors, and power structures that persisted over the centuries. Through a theoretical and documentary approach, the study analyzes how elements such as personalism, authoritarianism, centralization, and the blurring of boundaries between public and private spheres—features identified in historical documents and in discussions within Brazilian constitutions—continue to shape current administrative culture. The findings indicate that, although the State has incorporated modern management tools and expanded mechanisms of control and transparency, informal practices still undermine impersonality and hinder the consolidation of a truly democratic public administration. The study concludes that legal reforms, while necessary, are insufficient if not accompanied by profound cultural transformations, revealing that the patriarchal legacy remains one of the main obstacles to the establishment of a more republican and institutionalized public administration in Brazil.