Culture and social capital: influences on Brasilian political participation

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discuss the formation of the Brazilian political culture and how it can influence political participation. This discussion is based on the concept of social capital. The country hasa historical specificity, with periods of authoritarian and fragile and ephemeral democratic periods. Scholars of Brazilian political thought, belonging to a culturalist branch, developed their studies to point out ethnic-cultural factors in the formation of Brazilian society. From the 50s, the gap between economics and politics allowed to the fore technocracy, emphasizing industrialization and considering popular participation as something secondary. The result of this model is citizen alienation from public affairs and the view that they should be resolved by technicians, who run the whole state machine and bureaucracy. But here is a complex situation: how to demand greater participation when the population does not trust in political institutions? So we think that we need before to improve before the representation itself, whether in Congress and in political parties, as a way to foster trust, which leads to greater interest in political participation. In this context, the understanding of political behavior in Brazilian society requires an understanding of how to build a political culture that is still far from being participatory and democratic. It´s characterization is in terms of a fragmented and individualistic, with little social capital that has been reflected in the low interpersonal trust as well as in institutions. We note the urgency of having greater political participation, in order to strengthen democracy in the country, ie, greater involvement of citizens in politics, breaking with the indifference that often prevail.