BRAZIL

History• The Brazilian Empire (1822-1889)• The Old Republic (1889-1930)

– decentralized• The 1930 coup and Vargas (1930-1945)

– Centralized, statist• The Populist Republic (1945-1964)• Bureaucratic Authoritarianism (1964-85)• The transition to democracy (1974-2001)

– Abertura– The Constitution (1988)

• President Lula da Silva (2002-2011)• President Dilma Roussef (2011-)

Political Economy

• Until 1930 export-led growth– Coffee– 1929 great depression-> reduced demand-> – ISI

• 1930-> State-led growth (developmentalism)• 1989- privatization?– BNDES: state-owned development bank

FavelasInsufficient welfare systemlarge social inequalities

Informal sector

Lula focussed on social reform- Bolsa Familia

Migration-> Favellas

Black-white Brazilians

Brazil and regionalism

Government and Policy-making

• The Executive– Presidential system– Centralized authority in the executive

• Federalism– 26 states– competition between the centre and states

• The Legislature: Bicameral• No strict separation of powers

The Executive

• The President: head of state and government• Directly elected every four years• Since 1997- two terms• Emergency measures (2001 changes)• Power to appoint bureaucrats• Personal ties

The Judiciary

• Supreme Court• No clear power to review the executive• It can review corruption cases by

parliamentarians• Appointed by the President, approved by the

senate

Subnational government

• Governor (elected) • Chief advisors• Unicameral legislature• Governors and mayors are essential support

fore Presidents and legislators

The Legislature

• Upper house: Senate (81 members)– Each state elect 3 senators– Part of the senate opens for elections in every 4

years• Lower house: the Chamber of Deputies (513

members)– Elections every four years

The legislature

• Each chamber is equal in law making.• No reconciliation committee• Once both houses pass a bill, the President

can veto or accept• The two houses can override the veto by a

majority of votes• Constitutional amendments require 3/5 of the

votes in each house

The legislature• Weak and fragmented.• Corruption: 147/513 and 21/81 members• Electoral system: – Proportional representation with an open list

Political Parties

• Right– Democrats, Liberal Party, Progressive Party– Neoliberal economic policy

• Center: – Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement, Party

of Brazilian Social Democracy, Brazilian LaborParty• Left – Workers Party, Socialist Party, Communist Party– Reduce inflation, but maintain public sector and

welfare state