Participation and Influence: Democratization and the Shaping of a Public Policy in Brazil

Citizens and activists in Brazil were optimistic about their role in shaping public policies after the democratic wave of the 1980s, particularly in the field of international trade negotiations. Observers point out that the state is more open than in previous decades and that Itamaraty ( the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is losing its grip over the decision-making process. In this article, we dispute this affirmation. First, we demonstrate the analytical overlap between participation and influence in the literature. Second, we argue that the decision-making process was far more democratic, and Itamaraty less powerful, from 1946 to 1973 than it is today; participation in the policy arena was associated with influence. Democratization in the political regime in Brazil after 1985 did not bring democratization to the decision-making process in our case. We conclude by presenting some suggestions on how to bridge the current chasm between participation and influence in Brazilian foreign policy.