Brazilian Political Institutions: an Inconclusive Debate

Abstract

The debate about the operation of Brazilian political institutions is far from conclusive. It could hardly be different, since current Brazilian democratic regime is only 30 years-old. This article updates a previous one, published in 2000, in which I discuss different and rival interpretations on the functioning of the Brazilian democracy. Some new works argue that a 'dialectic synthesis' of those strands has been recently produced. This article demonstrates this argument is not accurate. Instead, my main argument is that, in spite of rich analyses, new evidences and some displacements, the interpretations and paradigms guiding that debate remain the same. On the other hand, in spite of the solid position of the interpretation sustaining how the Brazilian political system ensures governability, the current institutional debate goes far beyond this paradigm by setting new themes and approaches. To demonstrate this argument, the article presents the evolution of such debate.Keywords: Brazil; political institutions; Brazilian politics; governability.

Time after time: party organizational strength in new and old democracies

“…As in Chile and Mexico, the president has extensive institutional mechanisms to induce cooperative behavior in the legislature. Parliamentary parties are more cohesive and disciplined than expected, and they have been central actors in Brazil's "coalition presidentialism" (Cheibub, Elkins, and Ginsburg, 2011;Raile, Pereira, and Power, 2011;Palermo, 2016).…”

Uso discricionário das receitas de petróleo no Brasil: dinâmicas federativas

“…Throughout the democratic period that started in 1988, centrifugal institutions are present, while during the period of higher governability, there is a centripetal agency influence. In other words, as institutional features were constant, and decision-making patterns changed over time, this means that a historic analysis is key to understand a hidden variable that influenced governability variation (ARMIJO, LESLIE, FAUCHER et al, 2006;PALERMO, 2016).…”

The Ability to Influence: A Comparative Analysis of the Role of Advocacy Coalitions in Brazilian Climate Politics

“…Brazil's political system is built on a tripartite separation of powers between the two branches of Congress (the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies) and the directly elected president. The combination of federalism, open‐list proportional representation, high turnover in political positions, strong ties between economic and political elites, and office‐ and rent‐seeking politicians and political “parties for hire” has resulted in a highly fragmented party system, where the president must form a coalition government to get a majority in Congress (Aamodt, ; Melo, ; Palermo, ; Viola & Franchini, ). Ministries usually prepare policies and are Congress members' main information sources on policy issues (Aamodt, ).…”