Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira
Estudos Avançados, Revista do Centro de Estudos Avançados da USP. Fevereiro 2000: 235-246. Versão ampliada foi publicada com o título "Da Política de Elites à Democracia de Sociedade Civil".
Abstract. Starting from a proposed typology of democracy, which involves increased representation and/or participation (elites', civil society's, and people's democracy) the paper, after reviewing Brazilian class and elite alliances through out history, suggests that Brazil, as an intermediate developing country, is presently in transition from the first to the second type of democracy. Elite groups start to loose power in relation to a larger civil society, where public debate begins, and public opinion turn increasingly significant. If this trend is confirmed, the nation will start to learn from its mistakes, while some typical democracy of elites' categories - 'enlightened elites' making political pacts and drawing national projects - will loose relevance.
