Social Class System and Jobs
In Brazil, a lot of social inequality exists with 26% of the population living below the poverty line (de Sainte Croix, 2012). Andrea Novais (2011) describes the social class strata in an A-E system with Class A being at the top with the highest income and education and Class E at the bottom rungs of both income and education. Although the CIA World Factbook (2012) notes that the wealth inequality has been improving over the last 12 years, Claudia Costabile (personal communication, October 27, 2012) perceives that the weatlh distribution has actually widened from the time when she was growing up in the 1980s.
Another facet of the economic disparity among the classes involves racial inequality, according to McLucas (2005). While many in the higher income classes would contend that Brazil is a racial democracy, McLucas (2005) argues that actually, Blacks in Brazil are often caught in a circle where lack of educational opportunities prevents any upward mobiity from the ranks of the very poor. In fact, de Azevedo and Fontes (2010) reveal that blacks make 63% of what whites earn, so an objective disparity exists. Jobs among Brazilians range from white collar careers such as lawyers and bankers for the most highly educated, to agriculture and manufacturing jobs for the middle classes and menial service jobs held by the least educated segments of society.
The racial landscape is also distinguished by a more nuanced definition of race than in the United States. The defining features often have more to do with economic, educational and social standing as opposed to the "one drop rule" custom of the United States, according to Margolis, Bezerra and Fox (2001). "As Brazilians put it, 'money whitens'--that is, the higher the social class, the lighter the racial category to which the individual belongs" (Margolis, et al., 2001). Costabile bears this out, stating that prejudice and discrimination exist more between people in different economic strata rather than between races.
Besides the struggle to move out of the lower income levels, another side effect of the extreme poverty is high crime rates, often involving abandoned children. Organized crime and the drug market are quite problematic in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo also has a high crime rate (C. Costabile, personal communication, October 27, 2012).
The government under President Rousseff has implemented a social welfare program called Brazil without Misery which endeavors to "eradicate extreme poverty in Brazil by 2014" (de Sainte Croix, 2012). The government aims to reach out to people who will qualify for health and education benefits, as opposed to expecting potential recipients to apply for them. It should be noted that much progress has been made over the last two decades in lifting people out of poverty, but Brazil's average GDP ranks 100th in the world, and so the government recognizes there is still much work to be done in this arena (de Sainte Croix, 2012).
Another facet of the economic disparity among the classes involves racial inequality, according to McLucas (2005). While many in the higher income classes would contend that Brazil is a racial democracy, McLucas (2005) argues that actually, Blacks in Brazil are often caught in a circle where lack of educational opportunities prevents any upward mobiity from the ranks of the very poor. In fact, de Azevedo and Fontes (2010) reveal that blacks make 63% of what whites earn, so an objective disparity exists. Jobs among Brazilians range from white collar careers such as lawyers and bankers for the most highly educated, to agriculture and manufacturing jobs for the middle classes and menial service jobs held by the least educated segments of society.
The racial landscape is also distinguished by a more nuanced definition of race than in the United States. The defining features often have more to do with economic, educational and social standing as opposed to the "one drop rule" custom of the United States, according to Margolis, Bezerra and Fox (2001). "As Brazilians put it, 'money whitens'--that is, the higher the social class, the lighter the racial category to which the individual belongs" (Margolis, et al., 2001). Costabile bears this out, stating that prejudice and discrimination exist more between people in different economic strata rather than between races.
Besides the struggle to move out of the lower income levels, another side effect of the extreme poverty is high crime rates, often involving abandoned children. Organized crime and the drug market are quite problematic in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo also has a high crime rate (C. Costabile, personal communication, October 27, 2012).
The government under President Rousseff has implemented a social welfare program called Brazil without Misery which endeavors to "eradicate extreme poverty in Brazil by 2014" (de Sainte Croix, 2012). The government aims to reach out to people who will qualify for health and education benefits, as opposed to expecting potential recipients to apply for them. It should be noted that much progress has been made over the last two decades in lifting people out of poverty, but Brazil's average GDP ranks 100th in the world, and so the government recognizes there is still much work to be done in this arena (de Sainte Croix, 2012).