The military and formation of the National Inoovation System: interests, perspectives, and strategies (1950-1990)

Abstract

A significant part of the National Innovation System was conceived and organized under the direct influence of the military—whether in the creation of the National Research Council (CNPq), in the development of educational and scientific research institutions such as the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), or in shaping the strategies and priorities of economic development during the military regime. Especially after the Second World War, technological progress came to be understood both as an economic necessity and as a military strategy. In this sense, broad sectors of the Armed Forces engaged in direct political action to promote new technologies in areas considered crucial for security and development. This study seeks to provide a historical reconstruction of this trajectory, linking military interests, their perspectives for implementation, and the results achieved.