This is the first book published in English to present a concise but panoramic overview of the social, economic and political roots of the current Brazilian crisis. By situating former president Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment in the wider context of the historical struggle for social rights, citizenship and democracy in the country, the book provides a conceptual framework that will allow foreign readers to better understand the apparent contradiction of a rising regional power that all of a sudden entered in one of the worst economic, social and political crisis of its history. This book will be of interest to a wide range of social scientists (such as sociologists, economists, historians and political scientists) interested in labor and citizenship issues in developing countries like Brazil, as well as for social agents (from the public and private spheres) with practical involvement with such issues, such as trade unionists, leaders and advisors of business organizations, policy-makers, politicians, NGO activists and technicians.

Brazil is at crossroads, emerging slowly from a historic recession that was preceded by a huge economic boom. Reasons for the historic bust following a boom are manifold. Policy mistakes were an important contributory factor, and included the pursuit of countercyclical policies, introduced to deal with the effects of the global financial crisis, beyond the point where they were helpful. More fundamentally, it reflects longstanding structural weaknesses plaguing the economy, that also help explain Brazil’s uninspiring growth performance over the past four decades.

Economy, politics, Brazil, economic and social development, industrialization - industrial policy, import substitution, industrial worker, social change, economic recession, inflation, external debt, economic policy, political movement.

Brazil in Crisis is a sweeping look at the history, culture, politics, and social problems of one of the world's largest and most dynamic countries. Marianne Campagna, who grew up in Brazil, wrote this book to learn why the Brazil of her childhood has become so deeply mired in poverty and corruption. To answer that question, she takes a hard look at the country's troublesome social, economic, and political scenes.At the root of Brazil's many problems is a legacy of slavery and the poverty that resulted from it. Campagna describes life in the favelas (slums), where one third of the population lives, and where drug trafficking and organized crime have embedded themselves. She explores how the government deals with poverty and crime, as well as the government's own corruption.But not all is negative. Brazil has a wonderful culture full of poetry, music, Carnival, and kindness. Campagna explores these cultural traditions and national traits that help the Brazilian people's spirits rise above their current situation.At the book's center is a discussion of the 2018 Presidential Election and Brazil's democratic process. Tracing Brazil's political history, Campagna reveals how right-wing Jair Bolsonaro, known as the "Trump of the Tropics," assumed the presidency, inheriting the economic stagnation that has paralyzed government projects and services and caused extreme inflation.Finally, Campagna offers her vision that Brazil will someday have a progressive government focused on investing in its people and future.

Democracy and Brazil: Collapse and Regression discusses the de-democratization process underway in contemporary Brazil. The relative political stability that characterized domestic politics in the 2000s ended with the sudden emergence of a series of massive protests in 2013, followed by the controversial impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in 2016 and the election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018. In this new, more conservative period in Brazilian politics, a series of institutional reforms deepened the distance between citizens and representatives. Brazil's current political crisis cannot be understood without reference to the continual growth of right-wing and ultra-right discourse, on the one hand, and to the neoliberal ideology that pervades the minds of large parts of the Brazilian elite, on the other. Twenty experts on Brazil across different fields discuss the ongoing political turmoil in the light of distinct problems: geopolitics, gender, religion, media, indigenous populations, right-wing strategies, and new forms of coup, among others. Updated analyses enriched with historical perspective help to illuminate the intricate issues that will determine the country's fate in years to come. Democracy and Brazil: Collapse and Regression will interest students and scholars of Brazilian Politics and History, Latin America, and the broader field of democracy studies.