# Law No. 2878 of September 21, 1956

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649565](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649565)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-2878-of-september-21-1956

## Summary

**Law No. 2878 of September 21, 1956** (Portuguese: Lei nº 2878, de 21 de setembro de 1956) is a Brazilian federal statute that authorizes a special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial) for the Ministry of Agriculture. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek and published in Rio de Janeiro, it addresses specific expenses, destinations, and objectives related to agricultural sector operations. The law remains accessible through Brazil's official legal repositories.

## Key Facts

- **Full Title:** Lei nº 2878, de 21 de setembro de 1956
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 2878/1956
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal level, applies to all of Brazil
- **Publication Date:** September 21, 1956
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (federal capital at the time)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgating President:** Juscelino Kubitschek
- **Determination Method:** Promulgation
- **Main Subject (Primary):** Special budgetary adjustment (stated as "Crédito Especial")
- **Main Subject (Secondary):** Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (stated as "Ministerio Da Agricultura - Magr")
- **Related Topics:** Expense (Despesa), Destination (Destinação), Goal (Objetivo), Service/Care (Atendimento)
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-09-21;2878
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2878.htm
- **WikiProject Membership:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 2878/1956?**
The law authorizes a special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial) specifically for the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil. It defines related expenses, destinations, and objectives within the agricultural sector.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on September 21, 1956.

**Where was the law published and in what language?**
The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's federal capital at the time. It was written and published in Brazilian Portuguese.

**How can this law be accessed today?**
The law is available through Brazil's official legal repositories, including the Planalto Presidential website (planalto.gov.br) and can be referenced using its LexML Brazil identifier: urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-09-21;2878.

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 2878/1956?**
It is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. Statutes are the manifestation of statutory law and contain legal norms enacted by governmental authority.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 2878 of September 21, 1956 represents a specific fiscal instrument within Brazil's legal and governmental framework. As a special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial), it demonstrates the mechanisms through which the Brazilian federal government allocates extraordinary resources to specific ministries—in this case, the Ministry of Agriculture. Such special credits are significant because they allow the government to address unforeseen or priority expenditures that were not included in the annual budget law.

The law matters from a historical perspective as it was enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek (1956-1961), a period marked by ambitious development programs and rapid industrialization. The focus on the Ministry of Agriculture reflects the sector's importance to Brazil's economy during this era. As a statute, the law serves as the concrete, written manifestation of legal authority, providing transparent documentation of how public funds were directed.

From a legal and administrative standpoint, the law exemplifies the structure of Brazilian federal legislation: formally titled, numbered sequentially, dated, promulgated by the executive, and published for public access. Its continued availability through official digital repositories ensures transparency and enables legal research, historical analysis, and governmental accountability.

## Notable For

- **Budgetary Mechanism:** Authorizes a special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial), a specific type of fiscal allocation distinct from ordinary budget provisions
- **Agricultural Focus:** Targets the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil, reflecting the sector's priority during the Kubitschek administration
- **Kubitschek Era Legislation:** Enacted during the first year of President Juscelino Kubitschek's term, a significant period in Brazilian economic development
- **Rio de Janeiro Publication:** Published when Rio de Janeiro served as Brazil's federal capital, prior to the transition to Brasília in 1960
- **LexML Integration:** Assigned a structured LexML identifier (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-09-21;2878), integrating it into Brazil's official legal metadata system
- **Digital Accessibility:** Available online through the Planalto Presidential website, ensuring public access to historical legislation
- **WikiProject Inclusion:** Listed on WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its recognition in structured knowledge bases about Brazilian legal instruments

## Body

### Legal Classification and Structure

Law No. 2878 of September 21, 1956 is formally classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes (leis) serve as the manifestation of statutory law and contain legal norms enacted by governmental authority. The law carries the legal citation **Lei nº 2878/1956** and is also known by its full Portuguese title: **Lei nº 2878, de 21 de setembro de 1956**.

The law applies to the entirety of Brazil as its jurisdiction and was written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country.

### Promulgation and Executive Authority

The law was **approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** and promulgated through the formal determination method of promulgation. The promulgating authority was **President Juscelino Kubitschek**, who served as President of Brazil from January 31, 1956, to January 31, 1961.

This law was enacted in the first year of Kubitschek's presidency, a period characterized by his developmentist policies and the ambitious "Fifty Years in Five" (Cinquenta Anos em Cinco) program aimed at rapid industrialization and economic growth.

### Publication Details

The law was **published on September 21, 1956**, in the city of **Rio de Janeiro**. At the time of publication, Rio de Janeiro served as the federal capital of Brazil. The capital would later be transferred to Brasília on April 21, 1960, making this law one of thousands enacted during the Rio de Janeiro era of Brazilian federal governance.

### Subject Matter and Budgetary Function

The law addresses multiple subjects related to fiscal allocation and agricultural administration:

- **Special Budgetary Adjustment (Crédito Especial):** The primary subject of the law, representing an extraordinary credit allocation outside the regular budget process
- **Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministério da Agricultura - MAGR):** The specific beneficiary ministry receiving the budgetary adjustment
- **Expense (Despesa):** Related to the expenditures authorized under the special credit
- **Destination (Destinação):** Referring to where or how the allocated resources are to be directed
- **Goal (Objetivo):** The objectives to be achieved through the budgetary allocation
- **Service/Care (Atendimento):** Referenced as a component of the law's subject matter

Special budgetary adjustments (créditos especiais) in Brazilian public finance law are mechanisms that allow the government to allocate funds for unforeseen or priority expenses that were not anticipated in the annual budget law (Lei Orçamentária Anual).

### Official Identifiers and Digital Access

The law is indexed in Brazil's official legal documentation system with the following identifiers:

- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-09-21;2878
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 2878/1956

The **LexML Brazil** system is a structured identifier scheme for Brazilian legal documents, enabling precise referencing and retrieval of legislation across government databases.

The full text of the law is **available online** at the official Planalto Presidential website:
- **URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2878.htm

This digital availability is maintained by the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency (Casa Civil) as part of Brazil's commitment to legal transparency and public access to legislation.

### Knowledge Base Recognition

The law is included in **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its recognition and documentation within structured knowledge bases dedicated to Brazilian legal instruments. This project aims to organize and make accessible information about Brazilian legislation across wikimedia platforms.

### Historical Context

Enacted in **1956**, this law falls within a significant period of Brazilian history. The mid-1950s marked a transitional era in Brazilian politics and economics. President Kubitschek's administration (1956-1961) is particularly noted for:

- The construction of Brasília as the new federal capital
- Major infrastructure development projects
- Attraction of foreign investment, particularly in the automotive industry
- Expansion of credit and development financing

Legislation from this period, including budgetary laws like Law No. 2878, reflects the governmental priorities of rapid development and the mechanisms used to direct public resources toward strategic sectors, including agriculture.

### Jurisdictional Scope

The law **applies to the entire territory of Brazil** (applies to jurisdiction: Brazil), establishing its effect at the federal level. As federal legislation, it binds all states, municipalities, and federal entities within the Brazilian federation.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-09-21;2878)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=2878&ano=1956&data=21/09/1956&ato=bdbgXU650dNRVT0f0)