INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AFTER THE 1988 FEDERAL CONSTITUTION: AN OVERVIEW OF VOLUNTARY FEDERAL TRANSFERS TO MUNICIPALITIES

Abstract

Objective: We argue that intergovernmental transfers are a relevant element for understanding the Brazilian federative dynamics and, consequently, for public policies in Brazil. The article aims to answer three sets of questions: (1) What is the size of transfers in terms of transfer values? (2) Which are the federal public administration bodies that carry out these transfers, how much do they transfer and through which instruments? (3) What are the main subnational bodies or institutions that receive these transfers, in which regions and units of the federation are they located and what amounts of resources do they receive? Methodology: A classification of voluntary transfers established by the Brazilian State in the context of fiscal federalism, legal regulations and consolidated administrative practices is proposed. The empirical analysis is unprecedented and of a descriptive-exploratory nature. Results: The results show that, from 2008 to 2017, the average of resources transferred by the federal government underwent large variations, with a significant drop in the year 2013 to 2014. The most expressive values are from the Ministry of Health and Cities; Roraima, Acre and Amapá were, proportionally, the states that received the most funds from the federal government. Contributions: Federated entities are the main actors called to collaborate in the decentralized execution of federal resources. Strengthening the administrative capacities of the federal government is essential to improve federative coordination, while improving the implementation of public policies depends on strengthening subnational governments.

Keywords

• relações intergovernamentais
• transferências voluntárias
• convênios
• federalismo