Human society is full of would-be 'change agents', a restless mix of campaigners, lobbyists, and officials, both individuals and organizations, set on transforming the world. They want to improve public services, reform laws and regulations, guarantee human rights, get a fairer deal for those on...

Since 2003, when the Workers’ Party took office in Brazil, the federal government has brought big infrastructure projects back to the political agenda, including in the environmentally and socially fragile Amazon region. Unlike the military regime that promoted such projects decades before,...