The present article discusses the conditions for the adoption of development strategies in Latin America in the aftermath of neoliberal reforms, focusing specifically on the role of political institutions as a component of productive regimes in selected countries. Development is treated as an endogenous process, shaped over time in terms of trajectories that are continuously redefined according to specific political conjunctures. Having moved from restricted democracies or authoritarian regimes and autarchic economies to mass democracies operating in the context of open economies after market-oriented reforms, persistent structural inequalities presently constitute the major axis framing the definition of development policies. Unlike in advanced countries where the State is treated as an epiphenomenon of the respective productive regimes, in the Latin American semi-periphery the State is the crucial actor for the reversal of vicious circles and negative complementarities stemming from the extreme structural and social inequalities within and between countries in the region. Following a brief discussion on development and economic growth in the definition of the post-neoliberal agenda, the article examines institutional indicators for the economic performance of contemporary government coalitions in selected countries, focusing on State policies favouring development, such as financing, technological innovation, training of the labour force and social policies. Next, we concentrate on analysing political institutions and the role of political elites capable of generating national projects for sustainable development strategies, showing some of the differences between these countries. We conclude with a brief discussion on the adequacy of contemporary political economy approaches to understand processes of capitalist transformation in the periphery, drawing attention to the need for a redefined regional perspective on development issues.

The present article discusses the conditions for the adoption of development strategies in Latin America in the aftermath of neoliberal reforms, focusing specifically on the role of political institutions as a component of productive regimes in selected countries. Development is treated as an endogenous process, shaped over time in terms of trajectories that are continuously redefined according to specific political conjunctures. Having moved from restricted democracies or authoritarian regimes and autarchic economies to mass democracies operating in the context of open economies after market-oriented reforms, persistent structural inequalities presently constitute the major axis framing the definition of development policies. Unlike in advanced countries where the State is treated as an epiphenomenon of the respective productive regimes, in the Latin American semi-periphery the State is the crucial actor for the reversal of vicious circles and negative complementarities stemming from the extreme structural and social inequalities within and between countries in the region. Following a brief discussion on development and economic growth in the definition of the post-neoliberal agenda, the article examines institutional indicators for the economic performance of contemporary government coalitions in selected countries, focusing on State policies favouring development, such as financing, technological innovation, training of the labour force and social policies. Next, we concentrate on analysing political institutions and the role of political elites capable of generating national projects for sustainable development strategies, showing some of the differences between these countries. We conclude with a brief discussion on the adequacy of contemporary political economy approaches to understand processes of capitalist transformation in the periphery, drawing attention to the need for a redefined regional perspective on development issues. reforms process conjunctures marketoriented market oriented semiperiphery semi periphery region postneoliberal post agenda financing innovation Next issues

Este trabalho analisa as dinâmicas dos países latino-americanos na última década, cuja característica distintiva é o enfraquecimento da hegemonia neoclássica e uma retomada de trajetórias de intervenção estatal na economia. A análise está centrada nos vetores constitutivos de uma agenda neo-desenvolvimentista e no papel que o Estado deve desempenhar na retomada do crescimento e do desenvolvimento sustentável. Focaliza-se o papel que o regime político e as instituições de governo cumprem no processo econômico, sugerindo-se que não haveria possibilidade de crescimento e desenvolvimento sem um Estado forte. Diferentes trajetórias constituem a base a partir da qual operam um conjunto similar de intervenções delimitando um campo para a atação de novos governos, cujos instrumentos e margens de ação dependerão de um conjunto de características institucionais e de contexto que pautam a governabilidade e, em última análise, a natureza das políticas econômicas.

This work analyzes the dynamics of the Latin-American countries in the last decade, which distinctive characteristic is the weakness of the neoclassical hegemony and a retaking of state intervention trajectories in the economy. The analysis is centered in the constituent vectors of a neo-developmentist calendar and in the role that the State should carry out in the retaking of growth and of sustainable development. In focus are the roles that the political regime and government institutions accomplish in the economical process, with the suggestion that there would be no possibility of growth and development without a strong State. Different trajectories constitute the base from which a similar group of interventions operate delimiting a field for the attraction of new governments, which instruments and action margins will depend on a group of institutional characteristics and of context that rule governability and, in last analysis, the nature of the economical policies.

Ce travail analyse les dynamiques des pays latino-américains au cours de la dernière décennie dont la caractéristique spécifique est l'affaiblissement de l'hégémonie néo classique ainsi que la reprise de trajectoires d'intervention de l'état dans l'économie. L'analyse se concentre sur les vecteurs constitutifs de compromis néo développementistes et sur le rôle que l'Etat doit jouer pour la reprise de la croissance et du développement soutenable. On y focalise le rôle que le régime politique et les institutions du gouvernement assument au niveau du processus économique. Il semblerait ne pas y avoir de croissance possible ni de développement sans un Etat fort. Diverses trajectoires constituent la base à partir de laquelle un ensemble similaire d'interventions opère en délimitant un champ d'action capable d'attirer de nouveaux gouvernements dont les instruments et les marges de manoeuvre dépendront d'un ensemble de caractéristiques institutionnelles et d'un contexte capables d'orienter la gouvernabilité et, en dernière analyse, la nature des politiques économiques.

Este trabalho consiste em uma análise das estratégias de desenvolvimento na percepção de correntes representativas do empresariado industrial após as reformas orientadas para o mercado, tendo em vista a redefinição ocorrida no papel dos atores econômicos ante o Estado e o contexto internacional com os processos de privatização e abertura comercial. A primeira parte focaliza os principais aspectos das mudanças que afetaram a estrutura produtiva brasileira, sobretudo o volume das transações que alteraram o peso relativo dos investimentos estrangeiros em face do capital doméstico. Outro aspecto estrutural, destacado na segunda parte, consiste na reconfiguração da estrutura de representação de interesses, que passou a operar predominantemente no marco da adesão voluntária e da operação de incentivos seletivos. Finalmente, a terceira parte concentra-se nas propostas acerca de vias alternativas de desenvolvimento por parte das lideranças empresariais e na formação de possíveis coalizões capazes de sustentar diferentes estratégias.

This paper analyses the development strategies as perceived by representative tendencies of the industrial entrepreneurial establishment after market-oriented reforms, having in sight the redefinition that occurred in the role of the economical factors facing the State and the international context with the processes of privatization and commercial opening. The first part focus on the main aspects of the changes that have affected the Brazilian productive structure, especially the volume of transactions that changed the relative weight of foreign investments compared to the domestic capital. Another structural aspect is enhanced in the second part, which is the reconfiguration of the structure of representation of interests, which started to operate predominantly in a way of voluntary enrolment and the operation of selective incentives. Finally, the third part concentrates on proposals about the so-called alternative ways of development by the entrepreneurial leaderships and the formation of possible coalitions able of sustaining different strategies.

Ce travail propose une analyse des stratégies de développement suivant les courants représentatifs du patronat industriel qui sont apparus suite aux réformes du marché qui ont été entreprises. Il tient compte de la redéfinition qui a eu lieu dans le rôle des acteurs économiques face à l'État et du contexte international par rapport au processus de privatisation et d'ouverture commerciale. La première partie aborde les principaux aspects des changements qui ont affecté la structure productive brésilienne, principalement en ce qui concerne le volume des transactions qui modifient le poids relatif des investissements étrangers face au capital interne. Un autre aspect structurel, traité dans la seconde partie, se rapporte à la restructuration de la représentation d'intérêts, qui opère désormais prioritairement suivant l'adhésion volontaire et de la mise en place d'aides sélectives. Finalement, la troisième partie analyse les propositions relatives aux voies alternatives de développement de la part de la direction du patronat et de la formation de possibles coalitions capables de défendre différentes stratégies.

Este trabalho consiste em uma análise das estratégias de desenvolvimento na percepção de correntes representativas do empresariado industrial após as reformas orientadas para o mercado, tendo em vista a redefinição ocorrida no papel dos atores econômicos ante o Estado e o contexto internacional com os processos de privatização e abertura comercial. A primeira parte focaliza os principais aspectos das mudanças que afetaram a estrutura produtiva brasileira, sobretudo o volume das transações que alteraram o peso relativo dos investimentos estrangeiros em face do capital doméstico. Outro aspecto estrutural, destacado na segunda parte, consiste na reconfiguração da estrutura de representação de interesses, que passou a operar predominantemente no marco da adesão voluntária e da operação de incentivos seletivos. Finalmente, a terceira parte concentra-se nas propostas acerca de vias alternativas de desenvolvimento por parte das lideranças empresariais e na formação de possíveis coalizões capazes de sustentar diferentes estratégias.

This paper analyses the development strategies as perceived by representative tendencies of the industrial entrepreneurial establishment after market-oriented reforms, having in sight the redefinition that occurred in the role of the economical factors facing the State and the international context with the processes of privatization and commercial opening. The first part focus on the main aspects of the changes that have affected the Brazilian productive structure, especially the volume of transactions that changed the relative weight of foreign investments compared to the domestic capital. Another structural aspect is enhanced in the second part, which is the reconfiguration of the structure of representation of interests, which started to operate predominantly in a way of voluntary enrolment and the operation of selective incentives. Finally, the third part concentrates on proposals about the so-called alternative ways of development by the entrepreneurial leaderships and the formation of possible coalitions able of sustaining different strategies.

Ce travail propose une analyse des stratégies de développement suivant les courants représentatifs du patronat industriel qui sont apparus suite aux réformes du marché qui ont été entreprises. Il tient compte de la redéfinition qui a eu lieu dans le rôle des acteurs économiques face à l'État et du contexte international par rapport au processus de privatisation et d'ouverture commerciale. La première partie aborde les principaux aspects des changements qui ont affecté la structure productive brésilienne, principalement en ce qui concerne le volume des transactions qui modifient le poids relatif des investissements étrangers face au capital interne. Un autre aspect structurel, traité dans la seconde partie, se rapporte à la restructuration de la représentation d'intérêts, qui opère désormais prioritairement suivant l'adhésion volontaire et de la mise en place d'aides sélectives. Finalement, la troisième partie analyse les propositions relatives aux voies alternatives de développement de la part de la direction du patronat et de la formation de possibles coalitions capables de défendre différentes stratégies.

In this comparison of Belo Horizonte’s and Salvador’s experiences within three arenas of local government, the article focuses on the viability of institutional arrangements based on decentralization and citizen participation. It concludes that the relative success achieved when inaugurating city master plans, participatory budgeting (where civil society has direct input in budget definitions), and sectoral councils (councils for decentralized policy issue areas) is linked to three factors: prior decentralization processes; articulation between different decision-making units; and, above all, the neutralization of clientelistic control mechanisms through the introduction of horizontal loyalty networks and spaces of representation that in the final analysis will foster greater social capital and accountability.

L’article compare les expériences de Belo Horizonte et Salvador à trois niveaux de gouvernement local en distinguant la viabilité d’accords institutionnels basés sur la décentralisation et la participation populaire. Selon ses conclusions, le succès relatif de l’implantation d’un plan directeur, d’un budget participatif et de conseils par secteurs dépendrait de processus préalables de décentralisation, de la coordination entre les différentes unités de décision et, surtout, de la neutralisation des mécanismes de contrôle du genre clientéliste, par la mise en place de réseaux horizontaux de loyautés et d’instances de représentation qui, à la longue, pourraient permettre l’apparition de davantage de capital social et de crédibilité, "accountability".