Deck 9: Brazil

Question 1

During the Old Republic

A) state governors acquired extraordinary power over policy areas that were previously the domain of the central government.
B) landed elites dominated Brazilian politics.
C) the constitution expressed many liberal ideas, but as a rule, the landed elites were able to squash dissent.
D) the right to vote was granted to all literate males.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

President Lula

A) reversed the reforms of President Cardoso.
B) nationalized several key industries.
C) continued the economic programs initiated by his successor.
D) initiated a series of major social programs.
E) supported the actions of the United States following 9/11.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

All of the following are characteristics of Brazilian collective identity EXCEPT

A) race.
B) religion.
C) cultural symbols.
D) class.
E) educational status.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

The period of bureaucratic authoritarian rule in Brazil was characterized by all of the following EXCEPT

A) political repression, sometimes severe.
B) a commitment to state-led economic development.
C) the continued functioning of democratic institutions like the national congress although with severe limits on their powers.
D) state and local governments taking on additional policy responsibilities.
E) direct elections for national legislators, but not the president, taking place at fairly regular intervals.

Question 5

During the Brazilian Empire, the emperor acted as a moderating power (poder moderador). This meant that he

A) mediated conflicts among the branches of government and the oligarchy.
B) mediated conflicts among the branches of government.
C) mediated conflicts among the oligarchy.
D) mediated conflicts among regional strongmen.
E) was granted total control of the country's foreign policy.

Question 6

The official language of Brazil is

A) English.
B) Spanish.
C) Portuguese.
D) Italian.
E) none of the above.

Question 7

In 2010, Brazil was on pace to become the _____________ largest economy in the world.

A) fifth
B) fifteenth
C) twentieth
D) third
E) fourth

Question 8

Which of the following terms BEST describes the main philosophy behind Vargas' New State?

A) Federalism
B) State corporatism
C) State-centered pluralism
D) Clientelism
E) Communism

Question 9

The Brazilian miracle refers to

A) the fact that Brazil was able to successfully transition from military to democratic rule in a peaceful fashion.
B) the successful economic programs instituted under military rule.
C) the ability of the Brazilian government to successfully integrate the country's various ethnic groups.
D) the peaceful transfer of power from Portugal to an independent Brazil.
E) several sightings of the Virgin Mary in the Amazon area.

Question 10

The term bureaucratic authoritarianism refers to a government led by the armed forces and

A) land-owning elites.
B) the Catholic Church.
C) elected officials.
D) regional strongmen.
E) key civilian allies, often professional economists, engineers and administrators.

Question 11

Which of the following is TRUE of Brazil?

A) It is larger than the continental United States.
B) Its population is concentrated in the southern and southeastern regions.
C) It is rich in natural resources, including oil, and arable land.
D) It occupies about two-thirds of South America.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 12

Because Brazilian politicians typically cultivate personal votes and avoid party rules and alliances, they are known as

A) populist politicians.
B) patrimonial politicians.
C) independent politicians.
D) personalist politicians.
E) clientist politicians.

Question 13

In the context of Brazil, and more generally Latin America, the term populism refers to

A) allowing "the people" to determine the basic political processes and principles of governance.
B) relying upon the political support of regional strongmen to rule.
C) promising labor unions a specific wage guarantees in order to gain their political support and to keep them from forming the basis of a communist challenge to the government.
D) gaining the political support of previously disenfranchised sectors of society, often through manipulation and demagogic appeals.
E) expanding the right to vote.

Question 14

What was the end result of President Collor, the first democratically elected president since the 1960s?

A) He was assassinated.
B) He was accused of bribery and impeached.
C) He was removed by a military coup.
D) He won re-election for a second term after which he retired from public service.
E) He died in office of natural causes allowing his vice president to secede him.

Question 15

The process of trading favors and protection for political support is called

A) coronelismo.
B) patrimonialism.
C) clientelism.
D) caudillo.
E) bossism.

Question 16

The privatization of state enterprises began under the _______________ presidency.

A) Cardoso
B) Lula
C) Collor
D) Sarney
E) Rousseff

Question 17

The gradual process of democratization begun under military rule included all of the following EXCEPT

A) redirecting the country's foreign policy towards gaining closer ties with the United States.
B) reestablishing direct elections for state governors.
C) eliminating the government's power to oust legislators.
D) granting political amnesty for dissenters.
E) All of the above were steps taken by the military in its efforts to gradually restore democracy.

Question 18

What percentage of Brazil's population is officially classified as white and what percentage is officially classified as pardo?

A) 30.5; 30.8
B) 53.7; 38.5
C) 45.3; 40.2
D) 45.5; 50.5
E) 12.4; 61.5

Question 19

The policy that led to the transition from military to democratic rule was called

A) glasnost.
B) "the great awakening".
C) abertura.
D) coronelismo.
E) machismo.

Question 20

In Brazil, the term oligarchy refers to

A) the nobility.
B) military leaders.
C) the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
D) land-owning elites.
E) the government's bureaucracy.

Question 21

Which of the following is a limit on the power of the presidency?

A) Although the president is able to issue provisional measures, these are limited for sixty days, after which time, congress must pass, reject or allow the provisional legislation to continue.
B) The president may not reissue provisional measures.
C) Congress has the right to be consulted on executive appointments.
D) Congress has oversight powers concerning economic policy.
E) All of the above are limits on the power of the presidency.

Question 22

Career-minded bureaucrats who administer public policy according to technical rationales are known as

A) politicos.
B) coronels.
C) state technocrats.
D) tecnisimos.
E) economic specialists.

Question 23

All of the following are true about the structures of Brazilian government EXCEPT

A) power is centralized in the executive.
B) the federal government is decentralized to the states.
C) the separation of powers remains ill defined.
D) there are no checks and balances such as in the United States.
E) the Catholic Church is explicitly included in the policy-making process.

Question 24

Brazil offers a challenge to the study of comparative politics because

A) it has had periods of both centralization and decentralization, both of which have strengthened and weakened the state's capacity.
B) it demonstrates how the lack of coherent party systems and electoral institutions can endanger democracy.
C) even while the country has developed economically, it has become a more socially unequal country.
D) the complex divisions that afflict the country's collective identities challenge attempts to address its problems.
E) All of the above contribute to the challenge for Brazil in the study of comparative politics.

Question 25

Which of the following statements about Brazil's international economic ties is NOT true?

A) A major issue between Brazil and the United States concerns the latter's refusal to discuss agricultural policies.
B) Economic ties between China and Brazil are growing as the latter provides the former raw resources for its development.
C) The Sarney government implemented free-market reforms in large part due to pressures from the international financial community, particularly the IMF and World Bank.
D) In large part because of import-substitution industrialization, Brazil has become one of the largest debtor nations in the world.
E) The ability of domestic firms to compete with foreign ones in the Brazilian marketplace is inhibited by obstacles such as untrained labor and the lack of access to technology and capital.

Question 26

The program that provides cash payments to families to keep their children in school and to see their doctors for immunizations and check ups is called the

A) Bolsa Familia.
B) Family Health Program.
C) The Family Welfare Act.
D) Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
E) No Child Left Behind.

Question 27

____________ are state-owned or -controlled corporations created to undertake a broad range of activities including the marketing of goods, providing banking services and managing public utilities and transportation.

A) Statist firms
B) Quangos
C) Quasi-independent state firms
D) Public corporations
E) Para-statals

Question 28

The economic policy that promotes the domestic production of previously imported goods is known as

A) export-led growth.
B) import-substitution industrialization.
C) protectionism.
D) a command economy.
E) interventionism.

Question 29

Land ownership is concentrated in _____________ percent of the Brazilian population.

A) 1
B) 3
C) 5
D) 8
E) 10

Question 30

The shantytowns that sprang up around large cities are called

A) bolsa familas.
B) informal towns.
C) Cardoso-villes.
D) favelas.
E) reals.

Question 31

The dependency school of thought holds that

A) businesses become too dependent upon public subsidies.
B) underdeveloped countries become dependent upon foreign aid.
C) the lower class is dependent upon the upper class and therefore votes as instructed.
D) underdeveloped countries find it difficult to achieve growth in a global system dominated by wealthy countries.
E) wealthy countries are dependent upon underdeveloped ones for cheap labor and resources.

Question 32

Estimates are that the informal economy could account for ______________ of Brazil's GDP.

A) one-eighth
B) one-quarter
C) one-third
D) one-half
E) one-fifth

Question 33

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A) Import substitution expanded the size of the middle class.
B) Afro-Brazilians continue to make less than their white colleagues and have fewer opportunities for upward mobility.
C) Although working women typically have more education than their male colleagues, they still receive lower salaries for the same jobs.
D) Comparatively speaking, income distribution in Brazil, although unequal, is about on par with income distribution in the United States.
E) Rising median incomes have begun to reverse decades of worsening inequality.

Question 34

Problems concerning Brazil's welfare state system include all of the following EXCEPT

A) Workers in the informal sector cannot collect welfare as the government technically considers them employed.
B) Brazil's welfare expenditures are among the lowest in the world.
C) Only about 15 percent of the country's salaried workers qualify for benefits such as health care and the like.
D) A substantial portion of the income transfers associated with the welfare system goes to middle and upper class retirees rather than the indigent.
E) More people need welfare than those who contribute to it, thus forcing the government to finance the shortfall with debt.

Question 35

Although initially successful in achieving impressive economic growth, import-substitution ultimately

A) was proven to be incapable of sustaining economic growth due to resistance from labor groups.
B) led to inefficient and uncompetitive industries due to their dependence on state subsidies.
C) was ruled in violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization.
D) was proven to be incapable of sustaining economic growth due to resistance from the bourgeoisie.
E) was proven to be incapable of sustaining economic growth due to resistance from foreign capitalists and multinational corporations.

Question 36

Which ministry has tended to have more authority than other executive agencies?

A) The Foreign Ministry
B) The Ministry of the Economy
C) The Ministry of Trade
D) The Ministry of Social and Economic Affairs
E) The Ministry of Finance, Trade and Commerce

Question 37

Substantial efforts to address Brazil's fiscal problems include all of the following EXCEPT

A) the Real Plan.
B) the Fiscal Responsibility Law.
C) expanded efforts to improve tax revenues.
D) reforming and simplifying the federal tax code.
E) reforming sales taxes.

Question 38

MERCOSUL

A) is an agreement to establish a common market between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
B) is similar to the European Union in that it has a central executive body.
C) has contributed to a threefold increase among its members but a substantial lessening of trade with the rest of the world.
D) is similar to NAFTA in that it can evolve into a monetary union with the members sharing a common currency.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 39

Brazil's economic development prior to the New State was based upon

A) the export of agricultural products and commodities, chiefly coffee.
B) the domestic production of previously imported goods.
C) rapid state-led investment into the production of manufactured products for export.
D) the production of goods for the domestic market.
E) none of the above.

Question 40

_____________ refers to the ideology and practice of the state playing a leading role to foster economic development by sponsoring vigorous industrial policy.

A) Statism
B) Communism
C) Socialism
D) Developmentism
E) Nationalism

Question 41

During the transition from military rule to democracy, the Catholic Church

A) supported the continuance of military rule because it shared similar conservative political ideas with it.
B) organized popular opposition to military rule.
C) chose neither to oppose or support the military actively.
D) passively supported the military while not actively speaking in favor of military rule.
E) passively opposed military rule while directing its officials and associated organizations to take no direct action against it.

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT true?

A) Although subnational governments were initially successful in deflecting additional spending responsibilities for health, education and infrastructure programs, recent reforms have forced them to adopt a greater share of the financial burden in such areas.
B) An indication of the power of state governments in the Brazilian system can be seen in the fact that the federal government has had to cede shares of new taxes to state governments.
C) The bicameral legislatures of states are often dominated by the supporters of the governor.
D) Most subnational politics are preoccupied with distributing political favors in return for fiscal rewards.
E) The Central Bank intervened in bankrupt state banks and privatized them.

Question 43

Brazil has a weak party system because

A) of historical circumstances such as the corporatism of the New State era making the formation of independent political parties difficult.
B) the country's open-list proportional representation system creates incentives for politicians to ignore party labels because voters can easily cross party lines.
C) state, not national, parties select legislative candidates.
D) until 2007, candidates could easily shift their party affiliation, even in the midst of an election.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 44

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) Although the higher level courts, such as the Supreme Federal Tribunal and the Electoral Supreme Tribunal, have won praise for their independence, lower courts are generally seen as being corrupt and inefficient.
B) There are several separate court systems-one involving federal jurisdiction, another involving state jurisdiction and another maintained by the military.
C) In recent years, the judiciary has been accused of being unresponsive to social problems.
D) Since 2004, reforms have been introduced allowing the courts to build judicial review functions that were never established completely by the 1988 constitution.
E) All of the above are true statements.

Question 45

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A) Voting is compulsory for all Brazilians except illiterates and those over seventy.
B) Elections in Brazil operate under an open-list proportional representation system.
C) Parties are entitled to an amount of free air time, on both radio and television, in proportion to their number of votes in the last election.
D) Just as in the United States, the boundaries of electoral districts in Brazil vary from state to state in Brazil so that all districts have a roughly equal number of residents.
E) Elections are held in a staggered fashion, with some officials being elected one time and others another time.

Question 46

All of the following are reasons that Brazilians tend to be politically disengaged EXCEPT

A) problems like a weak party system and pervasive clientelism has limited their avenues for becoming more politically active.
B) an underfunded educational system and a largely uncritical media leave them without the resources they need to be more active.
C) optimistic myths about the country's future persist even in the face of socioeconomic realities that contradict them leading to a sense of powerlessness.
D) there is a consensus that the state should organize society rather than society influencing the state.
E) All of the above are reasons that Brazilians tend to be politically disengaged.

Question 47

The term bureaucratic rings refers to

A) the clientelistic networks established by private interests and mid-level bureaucrats.
B) the organizational structure of the Brazilian bureaucracy.
C) the corporatist nature of Brazilian policy making.
D) official corruption.
E) the clientelistic networks established between foreign commercial interests and mid-level bureaucrats.

Question 48

Which of the following types of civil society groups is NOT seen in Brazil?

A) Organizations promoting women's rights
B) Organizations promoting the rights of indigenous peoples
C) Organizations dedicated to addressing racial discrimination
D) Professional associations
E) Nongovernmental organizations

Question 49

The implication of the phrase para ingles ver (for the English to see) is that

A) transparency of democratic elections is important.
B) democracy is just a show for outsiders.
C) Brazilians feel dominated by the United States.
D) there is a division between English and non-English speakers in Brazil.
E) business entities in Brazil operate under English law.

Question 50

Even with democratization, the role of the military retains a role in Brazilian politics. This is indicated by

A) the fact that during the Sarney administration, military officers retained cabinet-level rank in areas of importance to the military.
B) laws that grant the military broad powers to guarantee internal order and play a tutelary role in civilian government.
C) Brazilian officers lobbying on behalf of policies that they favor.
D) the fact that, as par to the transition to civilian rule, the military was successful in obtaining amnesty for human rights abuses during the previous authoritarian era.
E) all of the above.

Question 51

Brazilians have a strong sense of national identity because

A) the country enjoyed a homogenous linguistic and colonial experience.
B) regional secessionist movements have been uncommon.
C) racial identity has rarely been the basis of political action.
D) optimistic myths about the country's future have been and continue to be persistently believed by the citizenry.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 52

Which of the following BEST describes the role of the bureaucracy in Brazil's economy?

A) They are constitutionally restricted from playing a large role.
B) They play a key role because of the large amount of publicly-owned or controlled industries and massive public works projects.
C) They are hindered by the lack of professional personnel.
D) Their degree of involvement varies with each administration.
E) High levels of corruption and inefficiency hinder their role.

Question 53

Traditional landowners and agribusiness elite hold positions of great influence in congress because

A) complex constitutional provisions determining representation in congress favor sparsely populated states that traditionally have been the political bases of such individuals.
B) they are able to spend more money on getting elected than industrial elites.
C) they are closer to the presidency than are other groups.
D) complex constitutional provisions determining representation in congress favor the larger states that are the political bases of such individuals.
E) by tradition, these elites tend to chair important congressional committees.

Question 54

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate share equal authority to make laws and both must approve a bill for it to become a law.
B) The Senate may advise on legislative matters but it has not authority to make laws, a power that rests solely with the Chamber of Deputies.
C) Both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate must approve presidential nominees.
D) The Chamber of Deputies is empowered to impeach top officials, including the president.
E) The Chamber of Deputies has the power to block, but not make legislation.

Question 55

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) Constitutional amendments must be passed by a simple majority vote in each chamber of the legislature as well as a special constituent assembly.
B) Constitutional amendments must be passed by twice two-thirds of the votes in both chambers of the legislature and need not be approved by any other body.
C) Constitutional amendments can only be passed by a special constituent assembly which is created by a vote in both chambers of the legislature.
D) Constitutional amendments must be passed twice by three-fifths of the votes in both chambers of the legislature and by a special constituent assembly.
E) Constitutional amendments must be passed twice by three-quarters of the votes in both chambers of the legislature and subsequently approved by the president.

Question 56

Senators to the national legislature are elected

A) by a plurality vote in each state and the federal district.
B) on a staggered basis with two-thirds being elected one time and the other third four years later.
C) on a staggered basis with two-thirds being elected one time and the other third three years later.
D) every four years
E) through a series of primaries held in each state and the federal district.

Question 57

Brazil's military and civilian police forces

A) have emerged since the 1990s as being highly efficient and successful in reducing the crime rate especially in urban areas.
B) have been efficient at greatly reducing the crime rate but at the cost of human rights.
C) have been accused of arbitrary detention, torture, corruption and even systemic killings.
D) have only rarely been victims of attacks by organized crime syndicates.
E) have been characterized by all of the above.

Question 58

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) Although in general, policy-making tends to be fluid and ambiguous, there are some policy domains which are clearly defined.
B) Informal networks tend to be the central players in the policy-making process.
C) While organized business has consistently been influential in the policy-making process, organized labor has generally not.
D) Policy implementation is subject to perpetual bargaining, which, while allowing for efficiency, often means that the rule of law is not respected.
E) All of the above are true statements.

Question 59

Brazil's Supreme Federal Tribunal

A) just like the U.S. Supreme Court, acts as the final arbitrator of cases and decides constitutional issues.
B) unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, has the responsibility for monitoring the legal compliance of electoral campaigns.
C) is similar to the U.S. Supreme Court in that its justices are nominated by the president and must be conformed by a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.
D) like the U.S. Supreme Court, has a record for judicial activism.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 60

Liberation theology refers to the belief that

A) persons should be free from authoritarian rule.
B) one is free to practice any religion without state interference.
C) religion should seek to free people not only from their sins but also social injustices.
D) religious bodies should oppose authoritarian rule through passive resistance.
E) religious beliefs of individuals are the ultimate expression of their freedom.

Question 61

Brazil is often described as a rising global power. What factors support such a description? What factors refute such a description?

Question 62

Like other transitioning democracies, Brazil suffers from an inconsistent relationship between the executive and the legislature. First, explain the roots of this inconsistency. Next, explore recent attempts to better define the executive-legislature relationship. Finally, assess the impact of these efforts on the country's transition to democracy.

Question 63

Clientelism is perhaps the most prominent feature of Brazilian politics. First, explain what is meant by this concept. Next, citing specific examples, illustrate how clientelism permeates the Brazilian political system. Finally, assess the impact this on Brazil's transition to democracy.

Question 64

Identify persistent problems of Brazil's economic development. How have these been addressed, both historically and since the transition to democracy in the 1980s? How have such steps affected the role of the state in managing the economy?

Question 65

The difference between Amazonian defense and defense of the Amazon is

A) null as the two are synonymous.
B) the former refers to the protection of the environment of the Amazon while the latter refers to the defense of the borders of the Amazon.
C) the former is an interest group representing the Indians of the Amazon while the other is an environmental interest group.
D) the former, focusing on security and development issues, is reflective older concerns while the latter, focusing on environmental issues, is reflective of concerns that have only recently entered the national psyche.
E) the former focuses on the protection of the Amazonian region while the latter focuses exclusively upon the protection of the Amazon River.

Question 66

Analyze the Lula and Cardoso presidencies. What were the accomplishments of each? What areas did they fail to address?

Question 67

Many would argue that for democracy to thrive, it is necessary to have a strong civil society. First, explore how civil society groups were engaged in politics historically in Brazil. Next, discuss how this has changed since the end of authoritarianism. Finally, assess whether civil society reinforces or impedes Brazilian democratization.

Question 68

What weaknesses of Brazilian political parties have been apparent since the transition to democracy in the 1980s? To what extent are these reflections of historical circumstances? Assess the impact these weaknesses have had upon Brazilian democratization.

Question 69

The text describes Brazil as socially and politically fragmented. First, using specific examples, describe how Brazil is fragmented along several axes. Next, explain how, given such fragmentation, Brazil nevertheless has managed to construct a fairly solid and stable sense of national identity. Finally, assess whether or not the challenges currently facing the country are likely to reinforce fragmentation or national identity.

Question 70

Discuss how the Brazilian state is a mixture of professionalism and clientelism.