Fifth in population and geographical size and fourteenth in total income, Brazil is not only a regional, but also potentially a global force. Will Brazil capitalize on its huge strengths and emerge as a true global leader, or will it miss out on its great opportunity? This book lays out the...

The overarching theme of the book is development in a land of contrasts. There have been large economic, social, and political changes. The mass of society is far more expressive and politically involved today. In 1945, the country had 7.4 million voters, about 11 percent of the population....