- Brazilian nationalism is now approaching its 120th birthday (from the time of the liberation of its slaves), making it older than Mexican nationalism, and closer in age to Anglo-American nationalism. The fact that Portuguese is the official language in Brazil, as opposed to Spanish, and that from the time of Napoleon, Brazil was not a colony but an independent country are other factors that distinguish Brazil from other Latin American nations. Brazil, again in contrast to other Latin American countries was not first settled with the goal of spreading Catholicism throughout the world. Its size, in terms of geographical dimensions and population are two other distinguishing qualities, all of which form a basis for building a nation. Brazil's population is made up of Whites, who are the majority, and Blacks. Intermingling of the races is not ideologically mandated, but it is a reality. Patronage, a strong Spanish tradition, is a well-developed institution in Brazil. Brazilians are overwhelmingly pessimistic regarding the economic situation, and lacking in confidence that democracy will benefit them in this regard. They have little faith in the future, and except for carnivals and soccer, there is little that inspires strong feelings of unity. It is difficult to build a nation without an elevation of the spirit, inspiration, or a feeling of ascendancy, uniqueness, or mission. All these are lacking - for the most part - in Brazil. No individual or group possesses a sense of strength. The government is hierarchic as is common in Latin America, and there is no hope that the government or any other body has the ability to provide salvation. The small percentage of workers that belong to a professional union is a reflection of the lack of societal faith that exists in Brazil. Therefore, despite the distinctiveness of the Brazilian people, no process of nation building has occurred. Brazilians are essentially citizens without a great deal of hope, and without a clear future, even though the central government has managed to reasonably stabilize the economy and there is no societal breakdown like in Argentina. A clear picture of the situation in Brazil has yet to be drawn, but any conclusive determinations will be left to the conclusion of the discussion of nationalism in Latin America at the end of this chapter.