Question 1

The 2014 Brazilian presidential election resulted in the ouster of the long-serving incumbent due to his alleged involvement in a child pornography scandal.

Accepted Answer

The 2014 Brazilian presidential election resulted in the re-election of Dilma Rousseff. There were no allegations involving a child pornography scandal against the incumbent.

Question 2

The election of Rousseff as president indicated that Brazil had not yet shed it praetorian instincts.

Accepted Answer

The election of Dilma Rousseff as president of Brazil in 2010 indicated a continuation of democratic processes rather than a return to praetorian (military-dominated) instincts, as she was elected through a democratic election to succeed Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Question 3

Brazil won its independence after a long and painful struggle with Portugal that lasted for nearly a decade and cost thousands of lives.

Accepted Answer

Brazil gained its independence from Portugal relatively peacefully in 1822, with minimal conflict and loss of life compared to other Latin American wars of independence.

Question 4

Brazil has been a colony, a monarchy, a republic, a military dictatorship, and a democracy.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's history includes periods as a Portuguese colony (1500-1822), a monarchy under the Empire of Brazil (1822-1889), a republic (since 1889 with various constitutions), a military dictatorship (1964-1985), and a democracy (re-established in 1985 to the present).

Question 5

Brazil is generally considered a developed country.

Accepted Answer

Brazil is classified as an upper-middle-income economy by the World Bank and is considered an emerging market, not a fully developed country, due to its varying levels of development, income, and HDI across regions.

Question 6

Brazil's relatively high levels of economic equality help to explain its economic success.

Accepted Answer

Brazil is known for its high levels of economic inequality, not equality, which has been a significant challenge for its economic development and social cohesion.

Question 7

Brazil has been in a downward economic spiral ever since the looting of food stores in the 1990s.

Accepted Answer

Brazil has experienced periods of economic growth and decline since the 1990s, including significant growth in the early 2000s due to commodity booms, and not a continuous downward spiral.

Question 8

Brazil is unique in that populism took root nearly 50 years ago, long ago instilling political power in ordinary Brazilians and stripping nearly all political power from the economic elites.

Accepted Answer

Populism has been a recurring theme in Brazilian politics for many decades, but it has not stripped nearly all political power from the economic elites. Economic elites continue to wield significant influence in Brazilian politics through various means, including campaign financing and media control.

Question 9

The Catholic Church was the only major organization that maintained autonomy from Brazilian military regimes, which enabled it to eventually advocate for the poor and denounce the regime.

Accepted Answer

The Catholic Church in Brazil maintained a degree of autonomy from the military regimes, allowing it to become a voice for social justice and human rights, advocating for the poor and criticizing the regime's abuses.

Question 10

Brazil has one of the smallest economies in Latin America.

Accepted Answer

Brazil has the largest economy in Latin America, characterized by its diverse and developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors.

Question 11

The __________ colonized Brazil.

Accepted Answer

The Portuguese colonized Brazil, starting from the year 1500 when Pedro Álvares Cabral claimed the land for the Portuguese Empire.

Question 12

In Brazil, economic growth produced a middle class that then called for democracy, making it a good example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Modernization theory suggests that economic development leads to social changes, such as the emergence of a middle class, which in turn demands democratic governance.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the party system in Brazil?

Accepted Answer

Brazil has a multi-party system that is often described as inchoate due to the large number of parties and frequent shifts in party alliances and positions, making it complex and fluid.

Question 14

What kind of electoral system does Brazil's Chamber of Deputies use?

Accepted Answer

Brazil's Chamber of Deputies uses an open-list proportional representation system. In this system, voters can vote for either a party or an individual candidate, and seats are allocated to parties based on the proportion of the vote they receive, with candidates from those parties filling the seats based on the number of votes they individually receive.

Question 15

Which of the following would be most likely to reduce corruption in Brazil?

Accepted Answer

Cutting back the state sector can reduce corruption by limiting opportunities for corrupt practices within government operations and increasing efficiency and transparency through the private sector's involvement.

Question 16

After the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church in Brazil adopted __________ and shifted its focus to helping the poor and oppressed.

Accepted Answer

The Catholic Church in Brazil adopted the theology of liberation after the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized social justice and support for the poor and oppressed, aligning with the Church's renewed focus on these issues.

Question 17

Brazil's economy under Portuguese colonialism was centered on __________, which led to the importing of __________.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's economy during Portuguese colonialism was heavily centered on sugar plantations, which required a large labor force. This demand for labor led to the importation of African slaves to work on the plantations.

Question 18

How did Brazil become independent?

Accepted Answer

Brazil's independence was declared by Pedro I, a member of the Portuguese royal family, on September 7, 1822. This declaration was relatively unopposed by Portugal, leading to a peaceful transition compared to other Latin American independence movements.

Question 19

Getúlio Vargas was a popular figure who came to power in Brazil with the collapse of the Old Republic. Because he claimed to be for the people but was more interested in concentrating power in himself, he can best be described as a __________.

Accepted Answer

Getúlio Vargas is best described as a populist demagogue because he presented himself as a champion of the common people while actually concentrating power in his own hands, a characteristic trait of populist demagogues.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva?

Accepted Answer

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is known for his charismatic leadership and populist policies with a focus on social welfare, which align with socialist ideas. He has been a significant figure in Brazilian politics, particularly for his efforts to reduce poverty and inequality.

Quiz 10: Brazil