THE CONCEPT OF ENLIGHTENMENT ACCORDING TO KANT: AN ANALYSIS OF THE HISTORY OF BRAZIL

Abstract

This article analyzes the concept of Enlightenment according to Immanuel Kant, in particular the idea of ​​intellectual emancipation and autonomy of reason, and its application to the historical context of Brazil. Through a critical reading, the study investigates how Brazilian elites in the 18th and 19th centuries adapted Enlightenment ideals to justify both political independence and the maintenance of exclusionary social structures, such as slavery. The analysis is complemented by Michel Foucault's critique, which points to the ambiguities and contradictions of the Enlightenment, especially when transplanted to a colonial context. The article concludes that, although the ideals of freedom and equality have influenced important transformation movements, such as independence and abolition, their implementation was limited by a scenario of social inequality and domination, reflecting the tensions between the Enlightenment discourse and the Brazilian reality. In the end, the study suggests that understanding these dynamics is essential to evaluate the legacy of the Enlightenment in the formation of Brazil's political and social identity.