1500 Portuguese mariner Cabral lands in Brazil

1808 Rio de Janerio becomes capital of Portuguese Empire

1825 Portugal recognizes Brazilian independence

1889 Brazil is proclaimed a republic

1930-45 Vargas dictatorship

1945 democracy restored

1964-1985 military rule

1985 -90 Sarney as president

1991-92 Fernando de Collor de Mello as president; impeached

1995 Fernando Henrique Cardoso

(Student Presentation)

Traditional emphasis on elite politics

Military rule also involved middle class in politics

Protests have become increasingly prominent in Brazilian politics:

Direct election of President

Impeachment of Collor

Voting is mandatory—citizen protest by casting null ballots

Traditionally strong corporatism with peak associations largely controlled/influenced by the state

Recent changes:

• Later periods of military rule unions confronted and challenged the state
• Civilian rule in the 90s unions focused on reducing role of state while demanding higher wages from employers
• Business Associations are also moving away from the corporatist model
• Agrarian landowners remain powerful and united; very strong in states; oppose land reform

Clientelism (patronage) still practiced

Personalities generally more important than ideology

Military transformed a fragmented multiparty system in 1965 into a two-party system. In 1979, restrictions on parties loosened and many parties spring up.

• PDS—Democratic Social Party
• PMDB—Brazilian Democratic Movement
• PDT—Democratic Labor Party
• PT—Workers Party
• PFL—Liberal Front

Partisan politics at the national level is erratic—members win election to Congress and then can switch parties or vote against the party line. Parties do well one election and are all but wiped out in the next. (see Figure 16.3 page 584).

Generally, urban electorate is more issue oriented and ideological while rural electorate is more personalistic and patronage oriented.

For President, today there is direct vote; 50% is required for victory and there will be a run-off if no no majority is obtained in the first round. The President is elected for a 4 year term and cannot stand for re-election.

Senators are elected in a first past the post system.

Deputies are elected through a proportional representation system—the system, however uses states as multimember districts and employs an open list system. In open list, the voters, not the party leaders, determine the order of the candidates on the pa rty list.

Brazil follows a federalist model. Each state and municipality has elections and also has its own sources of revenue.

There is a balanced bicameral legislature.

President has veto power, including partial veto of legislation. Veto can be overridden by legislature.

Successes in extraction and regulation; failures in redistribution and social services

Objective of military and civilian governments has been growth and stability

Inflation has been a particular problem for the Brazilian economy

Health care and education have not been provided effectively. Elite consensus on provision of these services but, policies have been ill-designed to deliver. For example, free university education consumes a significant portion of education budget whil e basic education suffers. Clientelism has also interfered with the delivery of services. Redemocratization often leads to "irrational" spending patterns. International economic conditions have also had a big impact on the Brazilian economy and government revenue.