Introduction

Abstract

The title of the book is in fact very revealing. It intends to cover recent political economy developments in Brazil by concentrating on its recent economic performance. The period we intend to cover in the following 11 chapters in this volume focuses crucially on the first period in office of President Luiz Inâcio Lula da Silva, that is, 2002, when he was elected, to October 2006, when the election took place in Brazil and the President was re-elected. It is therefore very fitting to begin the volume with a chapter that attempts to discuss how Brazil came about accepting and embracing the political economy dimension of President Lula.