Federative Republic of Brasil

1. Federative Republic of Brasil

2. Background • Area – 8,511,965 sq km • 5th largest • 9th economy • People • 186 million, 1.1% growth rate, 74% Roman Catholic, primary language Portuguese (European immigrants). • Government • Federative Republic, independence 1822, current constitution 1988. • Economy • 619.7 billion (GDP) • 1.579 trillion purchasing power parity • Growth rate 2.4%

3. People • Largest population in LA, 5th largest in the world. • Population centers are in South/central region. • 81% of population urban • Major cities: Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte • Diverse ethnic and cultural heritage: • Portuguese (colonizers 16th C) • Africans • Other Europeans • Tupi and Guarani speaking indigenous • Intermarriage common • Class distinctions - strong national identification low racial conflict • Largest population of Japanese outside Japan in Sao Paolo

4. Colonization • 1500 Pedro Alvares Cabral • 1808 Dom Joao VI – Rio de Janeiro • 1821 Dom Joao VI returns to Portugal • 1822 Dom Pedro I (son) declares independence. • 1831-89 Dom Pedro II (son) rules • 1888 slavery abolished by Regent Princess Isabel. • 1889 Dom Pedro II overthrown in coup – federal republic established.

5. Political Institutions • Federalism in Brasil: • Central government (the union) • Federal District – elects governor and District Assembly (Brasilia) • State governments (26) • Governor, lieutenant governor, and representatives to unicameral state legislatures • Local governments (Municipios 5,513) • Mayor, vice mayor, local councils ranging in membership from 9-21 unless council for a city larger than 1 million in population then councils are much larger.

6. Executive • Presidential Democracy • President Head of State and Head of Government • Luis Inácio Lula da Silva (2002) • President and Vice President elected on joint slate • 4 year terms with one re-election • Powers include legislative, budgetary, emergency decree.

7. Legislature • National Congress • “Balanced bicameralism” • Both have power to initiate legislation • No clear domination of one over other • Senate (81) – 3 senators per state and Federal District; staggered 8 year terms (every 4 years for 1/3 and 2/3rds). • Chamber of Deputies (513) – from all states and FD. Size of state wide delegation based on population with min/max 8-70.

8. Judiciary • Courts constitutional mandates/rules • 30 year service or age 70 limit • Competitive election, promotion by seniority and merit • Supreme Court • (11 – nominated by president, approved by Senate) • Superior Court of Justice • (33 - nominated by president, approved by Senate) • Federal Appeals Courts (regional) • Labor Courts • Created in 1943 mediates between workers and employers (public and private) • Electoral Courts • 1932 check on election corruption • Military courts • No civilian jurisdiction • State Courts • Enforce state constitutions/laws

9. Electoral Systems • Three systems • Executives (President, Governors, Mayors > 200,000) • Majority vote with runoff if no majority in first round. • Senators and Mayors of Cities (<200,000) • First past the post (plurality rules). • Legislatures/councils • Open list-proportional representation w/multi-member districts. • Voters can influence candidate selection.

10. 2002 Elections: A Dangerous Shift to the Left? • Reasons for Lula selection: • Referendum on Cardoso administration • Urban (and south) liberals versus rural (north) conservatives. • Age gap (youth – liberal) • Lula’s voters disillusioned middle class • Outcome: Worker’s party gained status as the largest delegation to the Congress – 18% of the total (594 – 513 and 81).

11. Economics: Neo-liberalism or Social Democracy? • The political-economic philosophy de-emphasizing/rejecting government intervention in the domestic economy. • Domestic focus: free-market, few restrictions on business, and property rights. • International focus: opening foreign markets (using economic pressure, diplomacy, and/or military intervention). • Brasilian governmental steps • Sold state corporations, deregulated, removed tariffs, removed restrictions on DFI (long term investment by a foreign investor in enterprise resident in an economy other than that in which the foreign direct investor is based). • Government spending as percent of GDP higher than NL, with increases in health and education (social democratic economic policy?)

12. Successes and Failures: Economics • 1968-1974 Brazilian military directed economic industrial shift. • Attracted DFI • GNP doubled • Annual economic growth 11% • 1974 OPEC embargo crippled Brazil (80% dependent on foreign oil). • Military Government response: • Foreign borrowing • 1975 Pro-Alcohol program • Negative interest loans to agribusiness • Outcomes: • Indebtedness/inflation until 1994 – Real Plan (neo-liberal reforms) • Ethanol only (1980) cars to Flex Fuel (2006)

13. Successes and Failures: Income and Education • Income inequality severe • Wealthiest 10% command 52% of income. • Poorest 20% command 2% of income. • 81% of Brazilians have television but 13% are illiterate. • Only 27 million of 63 million workers pay into the state social security system. • Labor force participation: • Women: 44% are economically active. • Half total work 40-48 hours/week. • Quarter of total work more than 49 hours/week.

14. Successes and Failures: Diversity and Discrimination • Uneven economic development across regions • Class stratification by race and region • Black 6% • 39% mixed race: • Parda/mulata (black-white) • Mestica/mameluca (white-indigenous) • Cafuza (black-indigenous) • Indigenous • Asian (less than 1%) • Regional underdevelopment: • Northeast (poorest, 28% of pop), North and Center-West (underdeveloped, rainforest, low population), Southeast (most developed, 43% pop, 3/5ths national wealth), South.