Brazil: Does Corruption Corrode Democracy? - a podcast by School of International Service

Authoritarianism and corruption are on the rise in Latin America, while democracy may be receding. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Matthew Taylor joins us to discuss politics and corruption in Brazil, which is a bellwether because of its status as the largest democracy in Latin America, the ninth-largest economy in the world, and a member of the G20.

Professor Taylor breaks down what the Lava Jato, or “Operation Car Wash,” scandal has revealed about money laundering and corruption in Brazil (3:14) and how former president Dilma Rouseff’s impeachment in 2016 was related to the corruption investigation (7:08).

He shares the role that corruption played in President Jair Bolsonaro’s rise to power (10:39) and how Brazil’s expensive and inefficient civil service is often incorrectly labeled as simply corrupt (16:54). Finally, Professor Taylor discusses the extreme polarization in Brazilian politics (19:04) and how Bolsonaro fits into the larger trend of countries electing right-wing, nationalist leaders (21:47).

During our “Take Five” segment, Professor Taylor lists the top five lessons that countries interested in fighting corruption can learn from Brazil’s “Car Wash” investigation (13:26).

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