In Brazil, social mobility is rarely framed as an entry into a shared civic life. Instead, it is increasingly defined as an exit strategy. For the rising middle class, "making it" does not mean gaining access to better public infrastructure; it means earning enough to buy one’s way out of it. Private health insurance replaces the public system, private schooling replaces state education, and a personal vehicle replaces the crumbling transit network. Prosperity is measured by the distance one can put between themselves and the state.
This retreat into private solutions reflects a profound crisis of confidence. According to 2022 OECD data, only 26% of Brazilians report high or moderate trust in their federal government, while seven out of ten believe public institutions do not serve the interests of society. This skepticism extends beyond the halls of power and into the streets. An Ipsos survey of 30 countries found that fewer than 15% of Brazilians believe most people can be trusted—one of the lowest scores in the world.
The issue is not merely a moral one; it is functional. While corruption is a perennial grievance, the deeper rot is a perceived lack of efficacy. Brazilians do not just suspect their government is dishonest; they are convinced it is incapable. When the state is viewed as fundamentally broken, the social contract dissolves into a series of individual survival tactics, leaving little room for the collective trust required to build a modern, cohesive society.
With reporting from Brasil Journal Tech.
Source · Brasil Journal Tech
