The present paper is aimed at understanding the political appointments for high-level governmental posts in our recent democratic experience. By examining the connections between politics and bureaucracy in the Brazilian presidential system, we focus specifically on the first Cardoso term (1995-1998) and within this, on the case of the Ministry of Finance. The choice of this ministry can be justified due to its high profile in the current hard times of monetary stabilization and fiscal constraints, and because it is deemed to be a mainly technical government department and "immune" to political interference.
Politics and bureaucracy; Presidentialism; Ministry of Finance; Democracy; Cardoso's administration
