Transformações Socioeconômicas no Brasil na Década de 2000 e o Mito da Nova Classe Média

Abstract

The research "Socioeconomic Transformations in Brazil in the 2000s and the Myth of the New Middle Class", discusses the validity of the concept of new brazilian middle class and the changes in brazilian economic structure through data analysis and theoretical discussion. The emergence of the "New Middle Class" has been one of the most controversial topics in the recent history of Brazil. Characterized by an increase in power consumption of per capita income, this change has caused optimism, controversy and renewal of the discourse of leaders about how the country is "going well". This transformation is the result mainly of income redistribution policies made in recent years by governments and changes in the labor market, which reflected in the improvement of living conditions and consumption opportunities. In the face of the conceptual controversy and conceptions about the reality of the changes that have occurred, this work intend to contribute to the clarification of the theory of the formation of a new middle class in Brazil. In a first moment, are made approaches to classes of theories, and a review of main publications on the subject of the new middle class. In a second moment are presented data about the labor market and social indicators with the aim of to evidence the main transformations in the last decade, allowing to infer if there was the formation of a new middle class. The methodology used is the literature and documentary research to obtain the statistical data. It was found that happened important changes in the labor market, with a large creation of jobs and increase of compensation. However, most of the occupations generated are classified as low salary, and cannot be considered middle-class occupations. The social indicators point to a lessening of inequality and improve living conditions; however there is still a big income inequality in Brazil.