# Law No. 4168 of December 4, 1962 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648434](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648434) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4168-of-december-4-1962 ## Summary Law No. 4168 of December 4, 1962 (Lei nº 4168/1962) is a Brazilian statute enacted by President João Goulart, pertaining to supplementary credit (crédito suplementar) and involving the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira) and the Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil (Ministério da Aeronáutica). Published in Brasília on December 4, 1962, this law is classified as a formal written document that creates law—a statute—within the Brazilian legal system, and it applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 4168, de 4 de dezembro de 1962 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4168/1962 - **Country of Origin:** Brazil - **Publication Date:** December 4, 1962 - **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Instance Of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law) - **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil - **Promulgated By:** President João Goulart - **Method of Determination:** Promulgation - **Applies To Jurisdiction:** Brazil - **Main Subjects:** Credito Suplementar (Supplementary Credit), Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB), Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil (Ministério da Aeronáutica - MAER) - **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4168 - **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4168.htm - **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law ## FAQs **What type of legal document is Law No. 4168 of December 4, 1962?** Law No. 4168 is a statute—a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes are the physical or formal expression of legal rules enacted by government authority. As a statute, it is classified as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule" within knowledge systems, and is equivalent to the schema.org/Legislation class used in structured web data. **Who enacted Law No. 4168 of December 4, 1962?** The law was promulgated by President João Goulart, who served as President of Brazil from 1961 to 1964. The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil through the process of promulgation on December 4, 1962. **What subject matter does Law No. 4168/1962 address?** The law addresses supplementary credit (crédito suplementar) and specifically involves the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira) and the Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil (Ministério da Aeronáutica). The law pertains to financial or budgetary matters related to the aviation sector of the Brazilian military. **Where can Law No. 4168/1962 be accessed?** The full text of the law is available through the official Brazilian government legislation portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4168.htm. It is also catalogued in the LEXML Brazilian legal database under the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4168. **What is the legal classification of Law No. 4168 within the Brazilian legal system?** As a statute, Law No. 4168 is a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts passed by legislatures. It is part of the statutory law of Brazil and functions as a manifestation of statutory law within the Brazilian legal framework. The law was created through the legislative process and serves as an official record of a legal rule enacted by the Brazilian government. ## Why It Matters Law No. 4168 of December 4, 1962 matters as a historical legal document that represents the formal exercise of governmental authority in Brazil during a significant period in the country's history. Enacted during the presidency of João Goulart, this law exemplifies how the Brazilian government formalizes financial and administrative rules through statutes—written documents that create binding legal norms. As a statute, this law contributes to the body of statutory law that governs Brazilian society. Statutes like Law No. 4168 are fundamental to the rule of law, providing concrete, written evidence of legal mandates that citizens, courts, and administrators must follow. The law's focus on supplementary credit and the Ministry of Aeronautics reflects the specific administrative and financial needs of Brazil's military aviation sector in the early 1960s. The law also illustrates the broader context of Brazilian legislative activity during the 1960s, a period marked by significant political and economic challenges in Brazil. Understanding such statutes helps contextualize the development of Brazilian administrative law and military finance. Furthermore, as an official legal document, Law No. 4168 is part of the public domain in Brazil, ensuring that citizens have access to the legal rules that govern them. This accessibility reinforces principles of open government and legal transparency, allowing researchers, legal professionals, and citizens to examine the historical development of Brazilian law. ## Notable For - **Historical Significance:** Enacted during President João Goulart's administration (1961-1964), a pivotal period in Brazilian political history - **Military Focus:** Specifically addresses matters related to the Brazilian Air Force and Ministry of Aeronautics - **Financial Regulation:** Deals with supplementary credit (crédito suplementar), indicating its role in Brazilian budgetary and financial law - **Legal Classification:** Represents a statute—a formal written document that creates law—within the Brazilian legal system - **Official Documentation:** Available through official government portals, demonstrating Brazil's commitment to legal transparency and public access to legislation ## Body ### Identification and Classification Law No. 4168 of December 4, 1962 is officially titled "Lei nº 4168, de 4 de dezembro de 1962" and is commonly cited as Lei nº 4168/1962. The law is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law within the Brazilian legal system. This classification places it within the broader category of legal instruments that include acts passed by legislatures, executive orders, and by-laws. The statute is catalogued with the LEXML Brazil identifier "urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4168," which serves as a unique reference within Brazil's legislative information system. Its Wikidata description identifies it simply as "Brazilian law," reflecting its status as part of the corpus of Brazilian federal legislation. ### Enactment and Authority The law was promulgated on December 4, 1962, by President João Goulart, who served as President of Brazil from September 7, 1961, to April 1, 1964. The approval was granted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil through the process of promulgation—the formal act of enacting a law into force. The period of 1962 was significant in Brazilian history, occurring during what is often referred to as the "Brazilian Revolution" or the political crisis that ultimately led to the military coup of 1964. President Goulart's administration faced considerable political and economic challenges, including inflation, land reform debates, and tensions between progressive and conservative forces within Brazilian society. ### Subject Matter and Content Law No. 4168 addresses the subject of supplementary credit (crédito suplementar)—a financial mechanism used in Brazilian public budgeting that allows for additional expenditures beyond the originally approved budget under certain conditions. Specifically, the law involves: - **Credito Suplementar:** The primary subject matter relates to supplementary credit provisions, which are legal instruments that authorize additional government expenditures - **Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB):** The law pertains to matters involving Brazil's air force, one of the three branches of the Brazilian Military - **Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil (Ministério da Aeronáutica - MAER):** The law relates to the government ministry responsible for civil and military aviation matters This combination of subjects suggests that the law authorized or regulated supplementary budget allocations specifically for the Brazilian Air Force and the Ministry of Aeronautics during the 1962 fiscal year. ### Publication and Access The law was published in Brasília, which had been Brazil's capital since 1960, replacing Rio de Janeiro. The official text of the law is available through the Brazilian government's official legislation portal maintained by the Presidency of the Republic. The primary access URL is https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4168.htm. The law was published in Brazilian Portuguese, which is the official language of Brazil. As a federal statute, it applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil, functioning as a binding legal norm throughout the country. ### Legal Context and Significance Within the Brazilian legal system, Law No. 4168 represents an example of statutory law—law created through formal legislative processes rather than through judicial decisions (common law) or administrative regulations alone. Statutes are characterized by their formal written nature and their creation through legislation or legal acts. As a statute, Law No. 4168 is part of the hierarchy of Brazilian law, sitting below the Constitution of Brazil but above administrative regulations and municipal laws. Federal statutes like this one are created by the National Congress of Brazil and promulgated by the President. The law's focus on supplementary credit reflects the ongoing financial management needs of the Brazilian government, particularly regarding military expenditures. The Ministry of Aeronautics, established as a separate ministry in the early 20th century, required dedicated budgetary allocations for the operation and development of Brazil's military aviation capabilities. ### Historical Context Law No. 4168 was enacted during a transformative period in Brazilian history. By 1962, Brazil had been under various forms of government since the proclamation of the Republic in 1889, including the Old Republic (1889-1930), the Vargas Era (1930-1945), the Second Republic (1945-1964), and the military period (1964-1985). The early 1960s were marked by significant political polarization, economic difficulties, and social unrest. President João Goulart, who took office following the resignation of Jânio Quadros in 1961, pursued a progressive agenda that included proposals for economic reforms, land redistribution, and social welfare programs. His government faced opposition from conservative forces, including the military, which ultimately led to his overthrow in April 1964. Within this context, Law No. 4168 represents the routine but essential function of government—providing legal authorization for financial expenditures necessary for the functioning of state institutions, in this case, the Brazilian Air Force and Ministry of Aeronautics. ### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts As a statute, Law No. 4168 is part of the broader category of "legal norms" within the Brazilian legal system. It represents a specific manifestation of statutory law—written laws enacted by legislative authority. The law follows the creation process typical of Brazilian statutes, which involves drafting, legislative approval, and presidential promulgation. Statutes like Law No. 4168 are distinguished from other legal sources such as: - **Constitutional provisions:** Higher-ranking norms established by the constitutional process - **Judicial decisions:** Interpretations of law rendered by courts - **Administrative regulations:** Rules created by executive branch agencies - **By-laws:** Rules created by local authorities or corporations The law's classification as a statute also connects it to the international understanding of legislation. In knowledge systems, statutes are considered equivalent to the schema.org/Legislation class, facilitating integration with structured data on the web and enabling cross-jurisdictional legal research. ### Preservation and Accessibility As an official legal document of the Brazilian government, Law No. 4168 is preserved in the public domain, ensuring continued access for legal researchers, historians, and citizens. The Brazilian government maintains official databases of legislation, including the Presidency's legislation portal and the LEXML system, which provides structured access to Brazilian legal texts. This accessibility reflects the principle that legal documents created by the state should be available to the public they govern—a cornerstone of democratic governance and the rule of law. Citizens, legal professionals, academics, and researchers can examine this law to understand the legal framework governing Brazilian military aviation finance during the early 1960s. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4168) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4168&ano=1962&data=04/12/1962&ato=f99ATSE5kMVRVT500)