Democracy and the Organization of Class Struggle in Brazil
Argues that the spatial & temporal dynamics of class formation in Brazil differ considerably from those in advanced capitalist countries. Brazil is the only country in South America that still has trade unions capable of organizing workers & significantly impacting workplace activities. It is contended that the link between the main trade union federation & the new Worker's Party committed to a socialist agenda, combined with the emergence of land reform as a major political issue, indicate that the class struggle is thriving in Brazil. Extreme inequalities in income distribution are described, along with the high percentage of workers in the informal labor market; the impact of a free trade zone in the southern section of the country; & the nature of the "new trade unionism" that first appeared in the 1970s & became a core element of political resistance to the military dictatorship. Problems for militant trade unions caused by neoliberal policies are explored & future prospects for both the workers' party & democracy are discussed. J. Lindroth