Beyond ordinary policy change: Authoritarian policy dismantling in Brazil

Abstract

From a normative perspective, policy change is seen as crucial to improving social conditions, reducing inequality, and promoting sustainability. However, what about change that implies the dismantling of previously successful policies? How can one differentiate between democratic policy change and policy dismantling? In order to shed light on these questions, this article analyzes changes occurred in Brazil since Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019. The paper addresses those changes from the perspective of the federal bureaucracy spread across different agencies and professional careers. The research design involved quantitative and qualitative data collected using the following methods: i) a survey with former and current federal employees; ii) semi-structured interviews with civil servants who have worked or are still working in the federal government. Research findings indicate that, in Brazil, policy dismantling is no ordinary policy change, as it has been marked by authoritarian dynamics that have disarranged the federal bureaucracy and eroded state capacity.