It Could Happen Here The Brazilian Election Part 2: The Gravediggers of the Working Class
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Nov 2, 2022 The Brazilian election aftermath reveals a landscape shaped by imperialism and police power. Lula's rise, fueled by the 2000s commodity boom, masks a legacy of socio-economic dependency. The podcast explores the violent consequences of Brazil’s UN operations in Haiti and how those tactics returned home. With increasing police brutality and the financialization of labor, activists struggle against deepening precarity and repression. The hosts argue that to prevent a return to fascism, dismantling oppressive institutions is crucial.
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Commodity Boom Fueled Lula's Success
- Lula's social-democratic gains relied heavily on a global commodity boom driven by China's growth between 2004–2014.
- When the boom ended, Brazil couldn't both pay capitalists and workers, collapsing the PT's model.
China's Growth Made Brazil Dependent
- China's double-digit industrial growth massively increased demand for Brazil's primary commodities in the 2000s.
- As Chinese growth slowed after 2008, the commodity-driven revenue stream that supported social programs declined.
Export Structure Shapes Politics
- Brazil's export mix (sugar, coffee, iron, soy) reflects a plantation and extractive economy entrenched for centuries.
- That economic base creates political power structures hostile to sustained egalitarian reform.