IEA-USP – 26/06/2012 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.33818.49604 Challenges of democracy in Brazil from a historical perspective Pedro Paulo A. Funari 1 Abstract The first aim of this paper is to discuss the current challenges of democracy in Brazil, from a historical perspective. It starts by stating the theoretical standpoint used to approach the subject: power relations stem from, economic, social and cultural features of a given society. In this context, Brazilian society has been characterized from the start by inequalities, patronage and personal relations. The medieval roots of the colonization mixed with modern slavery to produce a society composed by subjects to the king and local potentates from several centuries (1500-1889). The late introduction of such concepts as citizenship and democracy, from the early republican period, 1989 onwards, meant the maintenance of several traditional features of social relations, such as several rights restricted to the elites, clientage, and the continued exclusion of the large majority of the population of political life. From the 1930s, with the emergence of nationalism and the continued struggle of the subaltern, advances such as the female right to vote (1934), were followed by a crypto fascist regime (1937- 1945). The struggle against Nazi-fascism in Europe (1942-1945) led to the demise of the dictatorship and the establishment of democracy (1945-1964). However, in the context of the Cold War (1947-1989), democracy was mired by conflicts and contradictions, with the exclusion of communists and of illiterates of the body politic. At the heyday of the Cold War, long military rule (1964-1985) stamped out opposition, several people were killed and many more expelled or internally exiled. The struggle for democracy gained momentum from the 1970s, as the military enacted an amnesty (1979), and elections for state governors and senators (1982). From 1985 up to now, democracy has been a most important feature of social life in Brazil. The 1988 constitution included for the first time illiterates, devolved power to communities, and established diversity as a value. In the last quarter of century thus, democracy has enjoyed both popular and elite favor, with benefits percolating to ordinary people and helping the advancement of social equality. The democratic setting enabled disputes and conflicts to be dealt by different social actors respecting differences. The historical weight of the traditional features of Brazilian society continues to hinder social justice and a more active participation of people in politics. Brazil continues to be one of the most unequal societies, so that even if the overall well- being of the people is in continuous improvement, the perception of inequality contributes to social tensions. Minorities and people with specific behavior, beliefs and stands are also prone to being bullied by majority understandings and even prejudice. Conflict is part of any social life, but it may be acute in very unequal settings, as is still the case of Brazil. So, after achieving the rule of law and the formal respect for human rights, it is increasingly felt that democracy depends on setting up the conditions for more social equality. This explains several distributive schemes since the 1990s, such as 1 Head of the Center for Advanced Studies, Campinas University, Brazil.