It has often been suggested that the trade-off between equity and efficiency can be overcome by achieving both goals sequentially. This article shows how the government of President Lula has tried to follow the latter, by first emphasizing economic orthodoxy, to be followed by measures to...

Minimum wage policy supported by a strong social policy is an efficient mechanism against poverty and income erosion of the poorest households. Minimum wage is one of the instruments which can control wage dispersion and in this way reduce income inequality. It can also help to prevent a general...

The Brazilian economy in 2015 was afflicted by a lethal combination of decelerating activity and accelerating inflation. Expectations for 2016 are equally or even more adverse, since the effects of rising unemployment emerge only after a lag. The domestic debate has pitted analysts who believe...