The Churches Contribution to Citizenship in Brazil
2007; Columbia University; Volume: 61; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0022-197X
Autores Tópico(s)Religion and Society in Latin America
ResumoTo govern is to steer through a swampy area full of mines. --Frei Betto (1) Brazil underwent a long and arduous transition process from an authoritarian to a democratic regime in the latter half of the 20th century, as part of what Samuel Huntington has called the Third Wave of democracy (2) On 1 April 1964, the military assumed control of the country in what its leaders called a revolution, and by 1968 had installed a highly repressive regime. While Brazil passed through these leaden years, it witnessed an economic miracle, with growth rates exceeding 12 percent. (3) The oil crisis of 1973, however, abruptly halted this growth and eroded popular support for the regime. This set off a transition in 1974 that originated under strong government control, but was gradually taken over by civil society The churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church, have been among the main actors in this transition. (4) The Worker's Party under Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was founded in 1979 when previously only two parties had been allowed to organize, one for the government and one for the opposition, both with very limited power. In 1985, a civilian government returned to power, and at last, in 1989, the first post-regime direct presidential election was held. Democratic stability and political consolidation was achieved under Fernando Henrique Cardoso's presidency (1995-2002). Following Cardoso's term, enormous hopes were invested in da Silva's presidential election in late 2002. The public viewed the election of da Silva, a metal worker from the poor Northeast with little formal education, as an important symbol of increased representation for the non-elite majority in Brazil. However, events in 2005 showed that his government would not remain free of corruption. An opinion poll showed that 90 percent of the population does not trust politicians, which confirms a general tendency that was certainly reinforced by the year's events. (5) While the president was able to regain his prestige by 2006 when he was elected for a second term, the government's public image remained tainted. CITIZENSHIP AND THE LACK OF TRUST Indeed, one of the main difficulties of democracy in Brazil is the public's lack of trust in its effectiveness. (6) It is precisely in this regard that can make an important contribution. According to data gathered for the World Economic Forum, groups and churches headed the list of institutions with or at least some credibility among the population (65 percent) followed by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the armed forces and the media. Political institutions, like the police, the government and congress, in turn, have rates well below 50 percent. (7) Religious groups and especially can use this credibility to mediate between people and the state, as well as to reassure citizens of the fact that faith (pistis in Greek, which also means trust), and the faith community, can make them capable of risking trust and investing in convivencia (communal support and interaction). (8) This contribution was recognized by President da Silva in his address to the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on 17 February 2006: The democracy and freedom achieved by the Brazilian people owe much to the participation and solidarity of the ... All of us here believe that spiritual strength is indispensable in order to foster indefatigable individual and collective militancy, in solidarity, for the common good. Minds, hearts and willing hands that share values of love and respect for others are certainly essential for building a kingdom of justice in this world of inequalities ... Friends, in many cases, it is the nationwide and grassroots presence of religious institutions that have enabled the state to provide social security benefits to the population through agreements and partnerships. …
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