How Much Political Power do Economic Forces Have? Conflicts Over Social Insurance Reform in Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT The failure of attempts at neoliberal social security reform in Brazil since 1990 demonstrates the limited political influence of seemingly powerful economic forces, especially private business and international financial institutions. Besides power-dispersing constitutional structures, the fragmentation of social forces, the weakness of political parties, and the internal segmentation of the state apparatus have hindered the efforts of Brazilian governments to gain the political support necessary to cut entitlements and thus stem the rapid rise in pension spending.