Democratic Brazil

An exceptionally valuable book with contributors from a new generation of American scholars . . . Rich in detail and interpretation, this is one of the best collective efforts on Brazil in years, reflecting a nation transformed over the past two decades.

It provides information and impressions about the New Republic and how it really operates. It moves beyond the rhetoric of democratization and theorizing about elections and talks about how money and political maneuvering can often outvote idealism. It confronts the distance between the demands of market power, concentrated in the public arena within the media, and the need of most Brazilians for empowerment and access to social goods. The editors and authors are here complimented for such a path-breaking study.

Each chapter is an admirable introduction to a much larger and complex debate. Impressive use of empirical data and an ecumenical approach to theories of democracy. . . .Ultimately, Democratic Brazil offers a useful contribution to both the study of Brazil, and, through its careful intermingling of different theoretical approaches, to the understanding of democracy and democratization.

stands out sharply as the first thorough and systematic book-length evaluation of the workings, progress and products of Brazilian democracy over the 15 years since the military dictatorship ended in 1985. ... The book is particularly strong in its examination of the social aspects of Brazilian democracy. ...covers the gamut for a comprehensive, thorough and nuanced picture of Brazilian politics that is a commendable starting point for the academic generalist or the advanced undergraduate yet provides new insights and interconnections for the laready informed specialist.

... provides the most comprehensive and balanced appraisal to date of Brazil's fledgling democracy by presenting twelve essays that evaluate various components of the new political and societal configuration.... leaves the reader with an incredibly detailed description and understanding of many of the most fundamental aspects of Brazil's political system.

Democratic Brazil is indispensable to understanding state and society in contemporary Brazil. Kingstone and Power have done an excellent job in putting together this collection. The contributors are the best of the new generation of U.S.-based Brazilianists, and their work in this volume is consistently well-researched and well-written.