THE BRAZILIAN STATE AND CLASS INTERESTS IN MERCOSUR’S REFORMULATION (2003-2010)

Abstract

What were the interests of Capital and Labor’s representative groups in the disputes for the formulation of Brazilian state policy for Mercosur during Lula’s administration (2003-2010)? Deploying from Nicos Poulantzas’ reading of the capitalist state and working with a theoretical framework for a state policy formulation analysis structured in inputs, policy, and outputs, this paper investigates the demands from São Paulo State’s Industries Federation and from the Workers Party to the Brazilian policy towards Mercosur. After the evaluation of some Mercosur policies in the considered period, this paper’s argument does not make the case of the literature’s interpretation of a post-hegemony period for regional integration in Latin America that drove Mercosur to pursue autonomy goals. Through a Brazilian class struggles lens, the economic gains of the industrial sector are more tangible than the perceived enlargement of Mercosur’s regional integration in autonomy key.

Keywords

• state
• brazil
• marxism
• mercosur
• regional integration