The aim of this theoretical essay is to promote a reflection on the contemporary Brazilian public administration under the view of Guerreiro Ramos's N Theory and P Theory. After reviewing the assumptions of each approach proposed by Ramos, there was an attempt to align them to different contemporary theories of public administration. The managerialism, internationally known as new public management, was introduced in Brazil in the Fernando Henrique Cardoso government through the State Reform. Just as it was planned, the managerialism is characterized as N Theory, since it is embedded by structure force and instrumental rationality. However, by bumping into cultural features, such as authoritarianism, personalism, and "coronelismo", this model was not fully developed in Brazil, being relativized in its practical application. Thus, it became a hybridization of several management models, combining features of patrimonialism, bureaucracy, and managerialism, as well as evidence of social management. This hybridization establishes, in fact, a new model of managing public affairs, forming what is called Tupiniquim public administration, which figures itself as a flexible public administration, absorbing elements from many models and experiences throughout history in Brazil and abroad. Unveiling the elements of the "Tupiniquim public administration" as an actual objective possibility aligned to Guerreiro Ramos's P Theory is the aim of this theoretical essay.
N Theory; P Theory; Objective possibility; Public administration
