The political formation of Brazil and the process of inertial democracy

Abstract

The article analyzes the political culture of Brazil in the perspective of citizens attitudes toward democracy and political institutions. After the military dictatorship, redemocratization in Brazil was not enough to build a sense of confidence in politics. The consequence is manifested in inconsistencies between the development of democratic values and institutional mistrust. What are the reasons for this paradox? The objective of this article is to discuss the concept of inertial democracy as a defining characteristic in the current political moment of the country. We analyze the history of political formation in Brazil, highlighting the strong presence of the State, social inequality and the combination of authoritarianism and liberalism, as well as the systemic elements of corruption and passive citizenship. We conclude that Brazilians maintain the pattern of distrust in institutions and that political conjunctures have aggravated this feeling, resulting in the maintenance of democratic inertia.