The New Brazil : Regional Imperialism And The New Democracy / Raul Zibechi ; Translated by Ramor Ryan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zibechi, Raúl, 1952- author.

Contributor:

Ryan, Ramor, translator.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Corporations--Government policy.

Corporations.

Labor unions--Government policy.

Labor unions.

Militarism.

International relations.

Brazil--Politics and government--2003-.

Brazil.

Politics and government.

Brazil--Foreign relations--South America.

Democracy--Brazil.

Democracy.

Militarism--Brazil.

Labor unions--Government policy--Brazil.

Corporations--Government policy--Brazil.

South America.

Physical Description:

360 pages : maps ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh ; Oakland ; Baltimore : AK Press, 2014.

Summary:

Once upon a time, Lula's election in Brazil offered a pretense of hope to the international left. In the midst of a rapidly shifting global economy, Brazil has since emerged as a powerful new player on the geopolitical stage. With three short years of aggressive economic restructuring, Lula embraced the legacy of the country's oligarchic past, paying off huge IMF loans years ahead of schedule and placing Brazil at the center of political and economic power in the region. Brazil is now the poster child for neoliberal capitalism. Within its borders, vast inequities in wealth and access to social services still exist -- a striking contrast to the nation's newfound prestige in world politics. At the same time, unrest is growing. Small protests against the costs of public transportation have grown to mass demonstrations that question the very foundations of capital and the state in Brazil. Raul Zibechi dedicates this book to "the new forces emerging in Latin America, to all the movements and acts of rebellion against current forms of oppression in mining, monoculture, hydroelectric dams -- and against the new imperialism." He makes it clear that movements and militants must understand the implications of Brazil's rise to the global power as part of changes happening in the world system. Toward that end, he provides a step-by-step history and analysis of the country's trajectory in recent decades. including the new forms of militarization and "sub-imperialism" it has developed; the increasing collusion among its unions, multinational corporations, and the state; its devastating conquest of the Amazon; and, most importantly, the antisystemic movements that are getting stronger and smarter as they try to push the entire region in a more radical and humane direction.

Contents:

1 The Return of Sub-Imperialism 13

The political climate in Brazil during the 1970s

Marini and the theory of sub-imperialism

2 Broadening the Ruling Elite 33

The union trajectory

Unionists in state positions

The role of pension funds

A new class or union capitalism?

3 Building a Strategy 63

A history of plans and planning

Brazil in 3 Phases: The country's centennial

Centennial goals

Who's who in strategic planning

4 From a Resistance Strategy to a National Defense Strategy 97

The National Defense Strategy

A new military-industrial complex

Behind the nuclear weapon

5 The Reorganization of Brazilian Capitalism 125

The reorganization begins

Petrobras, the crown jewel

Petrobras and the foreign takeover of ethanol

Investment in infrastructure and energy

State and capital

6 Brazilian Multinationals in Latin America 151

The internationalization of Brazilian companies

Foreign investment in Brazil

Green-yellow entrepreneurs

7 The New Conquest of the Amazon 173

Dams in the Amazon

IIRSA: Integration through markets

Winners and losers

8 Relations with Peripheral Countries 201

Paraguay, the weaker neighbor

Bolivia, gas, and soybeans

Ecuador against Brazilian companies

"Strategic alliances": Argentina and Venezuela

Is Brazil creating its own "backyard"?

9 Toward a New Center and New Peripheries 233

Neither gendarme nor dependent

Ongoing debates

An open scenario

10 Antisystemic Movements in Brazil 251

Stagnation and decline of struggle

The "have-nots": reconfiguration and change

11 The June 2013 Uprisings 269

Salvador, Florianópolis, Porto Alegre

A new political culture

The Pan American Games as rehearsal

Debating the character of the June mobilizations.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [293]-342) and index.

ISBN:

9781849351683

1849351686

OCLC:

859192498