Brazil

Question 1

Legislative Executive System Brazil

Answer 1

Presidential
Strong seperation of powers, similar to US

Question 2

Unitary of Federal? Brazil

Answer 2

Federal
Competitive Federalism
Symmetrical Federalism
Robust Federalism
No clear divisions of tasks between government and states

Question 3

Head of State Brazil

Answer 3

President
Appoints cabinet
Initiates legislation (80%)
Emergency decrees
(weak) veto powers
Commander of military forces

Question 4

Impeachment Procedure brazil

Answer 4

o Chamber of deputy vote (2/3) (lower house)
o Senate vote (2/3)
o 1992: Collor resigns before impeachment
o 2016: Roussef impeached and removed

Question 5

Lower House Brazil

Answer 5

Chamber of Deputies
Relatively weak
Important platform to acquire policy support and expose corruption
Weak party discipline
Extremely fragmented
Legislation needs 50% of parliament
Chosen by districts

Question 6

Upper House Brazil

Answer 6

Federal Senate
Staggered elections
SMD / FPTP system

Question 7

Electoral system Brazil

Answer 7

Proportional representation for chamber of deputies (Open list PR similar to Weimar / French 4th)
Voting for candidates not parties
Mandatory voting
Proportional Geographic representation
Two-round system for president simultaneous with parliamentary

Question 8

Pork-barrel politics

Answer 8

It refers to national government politicians spending huge amounts of money in their local voting districts to encourage voters to re-elect them at the next elections

Government appropriation or other policy supplying funds for local improvements to ingratiate
legislators with their constituents.

Question 9

Clientelism

Answer 9

• Reciprocal relation betwoon patron (politician) and client (voter)

Question 10

Bolsa familia

Answer 10

Bolsa Família wordt wereldwijd beschouwd als een van de meest succesvolle programma’s voor armoedebestrijding

Question 11

Coalitional Presidentialism

Answer 11

Need for political alliances

Question 12

rent-seeking

Answer 12

Rent-seeking is the act of growing one’s existing wealth by manipulating the social or political environment without creating new wealth.

Question 13

Parties Brazil

Answer 13

Left: PT

Centre: MDB / PDSB

Right and Far-Right: DEM / PSL

Question 14

Co-optation

Answer 14

It may refer to the process of adding members to an elite group at the discretion of members of the body, usually to manage opposition and so maintain the stability of the group. Outsiders are “co-opted” by being given a degree of power on the grounds of their elite status, specialist knowledge, or potential ability to threaten essential commitments or goals (“formal co-optation”).

Question 15

Liberation Theology

Answer 15

A radical doctrine within the Catholic Church advocating that the church should act to improve the social
and political power of the poor.

Question 16

Exploitation Colony

Answer 16

Where the primary goal was the extraction of the natural resources, as opposed to settler colonies

Question 17

Harms of Clientelism

Answer 17

Economic concerns / material benefits becoming the dominating factor in politics
Voters become economically / socially / politically dependent on politicians, losing their free will
= Anti-democratic or corrupt system

Question 18

Democratic backsliding in Brazil

Answer 18

Contributing Factors: Extreme polarisation, erosion of civil liberties, new corruption scandals
But: Rigid constitution with checks and balances, coalitional presidentialism

Question 19

Robust Federalism

Answer 19

A system established by Brazil’s current constitution, in which states enjoy very strong power.

Question 20

Transition to Democracy Brazil

Answer 20

• Abertura: controlled transition
  o From military regime to democracy controlled under pressure from the church
• 1988: adoption of new constitution
  o Contained provisions making the country a militant democracy (like Germany)
  o No political party can fight the democracy
• 1989-1992: Collor de Mello presidency
  o Started with enormous popularity
  o Had a corruption scandal
• 1993 constitutional referendum
  o Republic regime and presidential system