The causes and impacts of the June street events in Brazil
After the great demonstrations that took over the streets of the major Brazilian cities in June, some analysts commented that they would tend to fragment into dozens of events with specific guidelines for various social segments.
The diagnosis seems to have been confirmed in recent weeks, when some cities began to live with almost daily smaller protests against governors, police actions, homelessness, corruption, government projects, salary policies for sectors of officialdom, among other issues.
Understanding these developments requires an effort of reflection on the causes and impacts of the demonstrations. During the discussions within the IEA on June 21 and July 3, experts from various fields have addressed these issues. Who hasn't had the opportunity to follow the events may have a look at the opinions of about twenty participants in the summaries of the meetings published by the institute.
'What's Happening?' was the name of the first debate in which 14 researchers presented their views on the facts. Among the topics discussed figured: unpredictability of events, a possible crisis of representation and democracy, leaving the country in a state of passivity, the feeling of boredom as a motivating factor, the emergence of conservative values in the protests, the clamor for basic rights (particularly public transport), health and education, the role of violence, the lack of focus of the claims and the urgency of a political reinvention.
The second debate took the name 'What's Next?'. The participants presented 11 questions to four respondents, including a representative of the ‘Passe Livre’ Movement (MPL), the central body in the protests. In addition to new questions about how to define what was called a "movement of movements", it has been said that analysts have yet to examine the excepcional facts with a humble caution. In the final round of exhibition participants presented their views on how society should move in response to the demands of the protesters.