Brazil

In the last decade, Brazil become: a global brand and a global power.
Brazil's ascent coincides with the relative decline of U.S. influence in Latin America and the rise of new centers of power in Asia.

strengths | weaknesses |
1. world's fifth-largest land mass 2. eighth-largest economy 3. one of the top global producers of: * animals vegetables * mineralswater, * energy airplanes 4. It has a world-class banking and finance sector, (third-largest stock exchange in the world) | 26% of its population still lives in slums.Brazil is still the third most unequal country in Latin America |
Brazilians share a solid consensus on the domestic priority of social inclusion | Brazilians are not of one mind about how they seethemselves. |
Brazil's had reached impressive social and economic gains during the governments of : 1. Fernando Henrique Cardoso 2. Lula | Domestic liabilities: 1. underinvestment in human capital and innovation 2. Absence of the state from the lives of millions of Brazilian citizens. |
Brazil had successful international participation in issues like: * climate change, * peacekeeping,* Global governance. | |
The country shares its borders with ten South American nations | |
Massive infrastructure projects are under way in Rio de Janeiro for 1. the World Cup in 2014 2. the Olympic Games in 2016 | In Rio more than 4,600 people died in criminal, drug, militia, and police-related violence in 2008. |

Other characteristics of Brazil

* multidimensionalidentity(has long been vexing for U.S. policymakers)
* The country shares its borders with ten South American nations but does not quite see itself as Latin American.
* Brazil adheres to conservative macroeconomic principles (pursuing aggressive social programs).

The challenge is:
To not let an exaggerated self-image eclipse its focus on balancing the constraints faced at home with theopportunities available abroad..

Brazil and USA
* USA will have to come to terms with a new power in the neighborhood and understand that Brazil defines itself in a global context.
* multidimensional identity(has long been vexing for U.S. policymakers)
Conclusion:
* Brazil is a developing country and a developed country.
* The state is both strong and weak.

GREATEXPECTATIONS
Based in:
1. economic achievements= makes brazil an economic powerhouse

*
* Macroeconomic stability
* inflation targeting
* a floating currency
* manageable debt
* ample dollar reserves
* rapid growth
* a climate of political stability

2. natural resources

3. BRIC: In 2003 Goldman Sachs coined the term "BRIC" to describe the four emergingmarkets-Brazil, Russia, India, and China-that will make up almost half of the world's GDP growth by 2020.

This helps Brazil to amplify its leadership role on issues from climate change and food security to global trade.

¿what is the material bases of consensous?
Is a broad based agreement to invest government revenue in people on the margins.
Initiatives such as Bolsa Familia:a conditional cash-transfer program linked to school attendance and regular medical checkups for children help to reduced poverty by approximately 24 percent since 2003.
Brazil is still the third most unequal country in Latin America, but almost 13 million Brazilians have escaped from poverty, and 12 million from extreme poverty, in the last eight years.

Conclusion: Brazil's impressive social gains havebecome the envy of the developing world, turning Brazil into a laboratory and model for globalization with a social conscience.

OUTWARD BOUND
Until the end of the twentieth century, Brazilian foreign policy was based on four primary directives:
1. protect the country's vast territorial holdings,
2. consolidate and strengthen its republic,
3. avoid or settle all conflicts with...