[INTEGRATION PAPER]

August 22, 2012

Anthony Wilfred B. Basmayor 2010 62922

THE BURNING SEASON

The road is coming A direct metaphor of development reflected in a concrete and operational form, that by which the 1994 film, The Burning Season, presented as high-ways and ranches. Looking further, these roads are offshoots and effects of a much bigger situation, an issue, deforestation.

Maybe to better render conflicts in development exhibited in the film, it is indispensable to note that Chico Mendes, in his pursuit for equality and preservation of the rainforest, was born poor and is relying in the vast amount of rubber trees in the forest for a living and in response is his sincere and altruistic efforts into awakening the countrys consciousness on what is happening, to act righteously.

Some people are against progress. That you will remain poor. To not develop God-given resources. It is I believe very much transpired in the film, the different perspectives and concepts of development and it is to this reason that one developmental dilemma is on the conflict between development and non-development. On the side of the Brazilian government, development is attained through industrialization for they deem development as the acquisition of foreign investments and the construction of ranches and roads, which are in turn,
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contraindicated by the idea that through this development plan, the environment will be at risk, thus, in government perspective, non-development whether or not development come about, the issue generated series of obstinate problems, in the film it includes, deforestation, social conflict and social inequality.

In extension, if development on the perspective of the government is as such, and if the pursuance of this task takes place, which in the film was exhibited by the strict and persistent efforts of the investors and ranchers who are backed up by the government, the environment will be at great peril thus, the dilemma between industrialization and environment. As the government tries to strengthen the forces of the investors and the ranchers for the sake of industrialization, Chico Mendes and the rest of the union is in defense for the environment, informing people on their rights for their land, for development in their perspective is their subsistence in the forest, their God-given resources expressed metaphorically in the unions tree-hugging scene.

Meanwhile, as the film goes, it is notable that there was a transition in Mendes view on resolving the conflict. From their union, Mendes targeted a much bigger audience, an audience he thought would be strong enough to act, If we want to fix things in Cachoera, we should fix the big things in Brazil, in Sau Paulo it is with this reason I believe, was the force that led Mendes into associating with an outside group, the Inter American Development Bank. We know that Third World Countries, in order to alleviate poverty (which is very much reflected in the film, illiteracy, hunger and poor to nonexistent redistribution of basic needs) turns and
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depends to investments in pursuing development. When Chico saw that there will be no hope communicating with the government and ranchers, metaphorically rendered having the same goals and exploiting the people, he tried communicating with a much bigger institution, the one he thought to be controlling market mechanisms. This is a manifestation of how interdependent countries are, especially with Third World, in pursuing development as opposed to being self-reliant. Consequently, with this issue, is the connection to the problem of who will be key actors in realizing development, should a national agency or institution shape society in pursuit of development or mass participation. This is clearly visualized in the film, The Burning Season, as Chico Mendes leads the union and the rest of the people supporting the cause into actions against what the government and the investors are imposing The people has the right. Though if youll try to equate it with his earlier statement, A hundred men without education is a ramble. One man with education is a movement, the latter signifies his eagerness to inform other people and the former, his belief that the mass has the power. Furthermore, the emphasis on mass participation on the determination on who has the right and jurisdiction on how the Amazon be used was further elaborated on his ending statements, when his position was asked, he gave the right to answer to the people, to have the people decide on how to use the land. Yes, indeed. When Chico said, Law says we have a productive use of the land. Ranchers can buy the police, the judges. But they cant buy the law.

What the film left us is the realization that we need development, we have to have development, but in a way that it doesnt leave us torn. Modernity is Sustainable Development.

Anthony Wilfred B. Basmayor The Burning Season