This article examines whether increasing global confidence in Brazil is well founded and, if so, ... more This article examines whether increasing global confidence in Brazil is well founded and, if so, what the implications might be for the global community. Landmark political, economic, and social achievements in contemporary Brazil are reviewed as well as the obstacles to raise human welfare to developed country standards within the next decade. The paper concludes that Brazil's growing influence in the global community is based on sound empirical evidence, a diverse economy, and an emerging society; it is not the result of passing good fortune. At the same time, the crushing legacy of past problems in areas that are vital to human welfare, including the education system and deficiencies in innovation and technological advance, continues to weigh heavily. Depending on how well its leadership deals with the legacy of the past, Brazil could become a more important actor in the international community over the next ten years. Brazil's rising use of "soft power" will co...
Brazil has been facing serious employment and income distribution problems and its economy has gr... more Brazil has been facing serious employment and income distribution problems and its economy has grown at an anemic pace for a considerable period of time. This article argues for a reinvigorated policy discussion in Brazil around issues of labor market reforms and those social benefit programs most closely linked to labor demand and supply. It does so by bringing to bear on the Brazilian case the successful experience of the Nordic economies in balancing policies to provide labor flexibility to firms while extending security to workers, a system often referred to as “flexicurity”. While cautioning against a simplistic “copy and paste” approach, the underlying principles of flexicurity are used to evaluate potential reforms in Brazil labor law and regulation.
This chapter analyzes the issues surrounding Brazil’s long-standing underinvestment in critical i... more This chapter analyzes the issues surrounding Brazil’s long-standing underinvestment in critical infrastructure. Following a survey of sectoral issues—in transportation, water, and energy—the chapter addresses the challenges that will need to be overcome if infrastructural bottlenecks are to be overcome successfully. The challenges center on regulatory as much as financial constraints. Particular areas of concern in the latter regard center on uncertainties surrounding the regulatory process, the existence of overlapping regulators and poor regulatory design. However, fiscal constraints, high financing costs and lack of technical capacity are also relevant features of the environment in which Brazilian infrastructure investment has to take place.
This article examines whether increasing global confidence in Brazil is well founded and, if so, ... more This article examines whether increasing global confidence in Brazil is well founded and, if so, what the implications might be for the global community. Landmark political, economic, and social achievements in contemporary Brazil are reviewed as well as the obstacles to raise human welfare to developed country standards within the next decade. The paper concludes that Brazil's growing influence in the global community is based on sound empirical evidence, a diverse economy, and an emerging society; it is not the result of passing good fortune. At the same time, the crushing legacy of past problems in areas that are vital to human welfare, including the education system and deficiencies in innovation and technological advance, continues to weigh heavily. Depending on how well its leadership deals with the legacy of the past, Brazil could become a more important actor in the international community over the next ten years. Brazil's rising use of "soft power" will co...
Brazil has been facing serious employment and income distribution problems and its economy has gr... more Brazil has been facing serious employment and income distribution problems and its economy has grown at an anemic pace for a considerable period of time. This article argues for a reinvigorated policy discussion in Brazil around issues of labor market reforms and those social benefit programs most closely linked to labor demand and supply. It does so by bringing to bear on the Brazilian case the successful experience of the Nordic economies in balancing policies to provide labor flexibility to firms while extending security to workers, a system often referred to as “flexicurity”. While cautioning against a simplistic “copy and paste” approach, the underlying principles of flexicurity are used to evaluate potential reforms in Brazil labor law and regulation.
This chapter analyzes the issues surrounding Brazil’s long-standing underinvestment in critical i... more This chapter analyzes the issues surrounding Brazil’s long-standing underinvestment in critical infrastructure. Following a survey of sectoral issues—in transportation, water, and energy—the chapter addresses the challenges that will need to be overcome if infrastructural bottlenecks are to be overcome successfully. The challenges center on regulatory as much as financial constraints. Particular areas of concern in the latter regard center on uncertainties surrounding the regulatory process, the existence of overlapping regulators and poor regulatory design. However, fiscal constraints, high financing costs and lack of technical capacity are also relevant features of the environment in which Brazilian infrastructure investment has to take place.
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