As I write this, the progressive Lula (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) has very narrowly won the election for the Brazilian presidency, with the current right-wing President Bolsonaro losing.
When the Economist endorsed Lula, I knew something was up. Then I learned about his--VP equivalent, I guess--running mate, who practically promised to deliver on IMF-style austerity.
I don't know what will happen in Brazil. All I know is that I don't want the US government interfering with Brazil, and that I seldom get what I want.
Thank you for this very insightful article. I have been following the election in Brazil rather closely. I am struck by how the whole 2020 US election seems like it was used as a template for Brazil 2022. Tropical Trump versus Brazilian Biden of Bernie if one wishes to be charitable to Senator Sheepdog Judas Goat.
When I hear the complaints of Bolsonaro supporters about the levels of violence, I understand their rejection of the PT and Lula. I realize that it's much more complex, but that is how I see it.
You mention US involvement in Car Wash. Is there any direct evidence? I have seen some of the Telegram messages and an itinerary of a meeting between US officials and Brazilian prosecutors which occurred in Curitiba in like May of 2015. I'm just curious if there is anything "juicier?"
I would add that Bolsonaro didn't make any friends with Big Pharma with his response to the 'rona. That is strike two with his refusal to dance the Washington Consensus regarding Russia.
I am getting confused by political terminologies in use these days. I do not know what a "Blair-style progressive" is. My simplistic view was that a 'progressive' was a politician willing to promote socialist policies, differentiated from Democrats who tended to promote neoliberal policies. Of course, no politician be entirely one thing, but the terms 'left' and 'right' still have meaning. I believe that in the Bolshevik Cominterm there were left and right factions. So, Lula is a leftist, progressive neoliberal?
Lula is not a leftist, he was earlier in his political career. To get accepted by the elite he accepted capitalism completely, and actually implemented neoliberal policies. Blair did very much the same in the UK, for example the "internal market" reforms for the NHS and the independence of the central bank. Same as the Democrats in the US.
Lula provided a relatively meagre social allowance to lift the poorest out of abject poverty, raised the minimum wage a little, and he benefitted from the booming economy. Corbyn in the UK was a real leftist, that's why the UK establishment worked so hard to remove him and replace him with the safe Starmer.
Within the context of communism perhaps, it was Stalin who forced through the collectivization of agriculture and presided over a communist state. In todays terms he would be called a "looney lefty".
When the Economist endorsed Lula, I knew something was up. Then I learned about his--VP equivalent, I guess--running mate, who practically promised to deliver on IMF-style austerity.
I don't know what will happen in Brazil. All I know is that I don't want the US government interfering with Brazil, and that I seldom get what I want.
Thank you for this very insightful article. I have been following the election in Brazil rather closely. I am struck by how the whole 2020 US election seems like it was used as a template for Brazil 2022. Tropical Trump versus Brazilian Biden of Bernie if one wishes to be charitable to Senator Sheepdog Judas Goat.
When I hear the complaints of Bolsonaro supporters about the levels of violence, I understand their rejection of the PT and Lula. I realize that it's much more complex, but that is how I see it.
You mention US involvement in Car Wash. Is there any direct evidence? I have seen some of the Telegram messages and an itinerary of a meeting between US officials and Brazilian prosecutors which occurred in Curitiba in like May of 2015. I'm just curious if there is anything "juicier?"
I would add that Bolsonaro didn't make any friends with Big Pharma with his response to the 'rona. That is strike two with his refusal to dance the Washington Consensus regarding Russia.
Thank you again!
I am getting confused by political terminologies in use these days. I do not know what a "Blair-style progressive" is. My simplistic view was that a 'progressive' was a politician willing to promote socialist policies, differentiated from Democrats who tended to promote neoliberal policies. Of course, no politician be entirely one thing, but the terms 'left' and 'right' still have meaning. I believe that in the Bolshevik Cominterm there were left and right factions. So, Lula is a leftist, progressive neoliberal?
Lula is not a leftist, he was earlier in his political career. To get accepted by the elite he accepted capitalism completely, and actually implemented neoliberal policies. Blair did very much the same in the UK, for example the "internal market" reforms for the NHS and the independence of the central bank. Same as the Democrats in the US.
Lula provided a relatively meagre social allowance to lift the poorest out of abject poverty, raised the minimum wage a little, and he benefitted from the booming economy. Corbyn in the UK was a real leftist, that's why the UK establishment worked so hard to remove him and replace him with the safe Starmer.
I believe that Trotsky was considered Left and Stalin was considered Right.
Within the context of communism perhaps, it was Stalin who forced through the collectivization of agriculture and presided over a communist state. In todays terms he would be called a "looney lefty".