Wenn Angst die Hoffnung besiegt

Eine Bilanz der Wirtschaftspolitik der Regierung Lula

Abstract

The victory of Lula and the PT in Brazilian elections in late 2002 was accompanied by the hope of a refoundation of society and freeing Brazil out of the ‘external trap’. The Lula-government argued that Brazil is on the brink of an abyss so that hard measures, like high interest rates and austerity policy are necessary. The article shows, that it were not the constraints of the economic situation but the decision of the government (trying to avoid conflicts with the forces of national and international capital) to continue the neoliberal politics of the former Cardoso administration.