Most destructive of all to black self-esteem has been the ideology of "branqueamento" (whitening). This theory was dreamed up in the 1920s to stop Brazil becoming a predominantly black country. White immigration from Europe was encouraged to stem the black tide. "The black in Brazil will disappear within 70 years", said one congressman in 1923. Others like author Afranio Peixoto wrote: "In 200 years the black eclipse will have passed entirely".