Democracy in Brazil

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Democracy in Brazil y, the democratic system has been perceived as a desirable and viable means of governance and has been increasingly adopted by a large number of states across the world. A democratic form of government facilitates the attainment of suitable levels of economic development while ensuring the incorporation of voices of the empowered people in the decision-making process. However, the process of democratization involves not just the transition to democracy but also its subsequent consolidation. The process has encountered additional difficulties in the post-colonial societies. The challenges have prevented the democracies to gain strong roots, thereby allowing non-democratic elements to intermittently hold control. While most of the Third World countries embarked on the process of transition to democracy, the establishment of democracy in Brazil is unique. As a country, Brazil is endowed with a huge size and a vast amount of natural resources, rendering it the potential to play a crucial role in world politics. Although the waves of bringing about democracy in Brazil have been sporadic, it is evident that Brazil has made a successful transition to a consolidated democracy. In Brazil, elections are free and fair and the courts independent. For more than two decades democracy has been the only game in town, without a single political actor having broken the rules of engagement (Pinheiro, p 113-114). Adam Przeworski said democracy is consolidated when no one can imagine acting outside the democratic institutions. Brazil not only has consolidated its democracy but also managed to achieve macro-economic stability, reduce poverty and inequality, win international credibility and rise to become the world's sixth-largest economy. Brazil is distinctive to look at because there have been several waves of democratization. As discussed in class most

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