Industrial entrepreneurs in Dilma Rousseff’s first term (2011-2014): an analysis from the newspaper Valor Econômico

Abstract:

This article contributes to the debate about how to interpret Dilma Rousseff’s governments and the crisis that led to her impeachment in 2016. The starting point is André Singer’s hypothesis about the “productivist coalition” and the political shift of industrial entrepreneurs. Based on the analysis of statements by business leaders in the newspaper, Valor Econômico, between 2011 and 2014, we aimed to verify whether a change in the industrial bourgeoisie’s political position in fact occurred. The statements were classified as favorable, contrary or neutral to Rousseff’s government and its economic policy. The data reveal that the president had broad support from industrialists until the first half of 2013. However, from the second half until the end of 2014, contrary manifestations predominated. The results suggest that the political behavior of industrialists cannot be explained merely as a response to adverse economic conditions.

Keywords:
Dilma Rousseff; class coalition; industrial bourgeoisie; lulism; new economic matrix; 2016 impeachment