The article examines the proposition that Brazilian federalism is an extreme case of demos-constraining. It demonstrates that the Brazilian federal institutions - the upper chamber veto powers, the broad policy competences of the Union, the partisan parliamentary behavior of senators, the low requirements for plurality formation, and the malapportionement formula - do not constrain the demos. Instead, it favors the central government.
demos-constraining; federalism; centralization; Alfred Stepan
