 Figure 1.--The Fundação Nacional do Bem-Estar do Menor (FUNABEM) was the Brazilian Government's agency for young people welfare (1960s-70s). This photo was taken in a FUNABEM facility for abandoned children in Rio de Janeiro. |
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Povery is an endemic povety throughout Latin America, varying from country to country. The Church has tradutuinally dealt with banconed children. With independence and secukarization, govermernts have played an ibcreasing role. Ciuntry;s in the region have avetung capabilities to address social issues. Brazul has developed thev strongest economy in the region. One of the most serious poverty problems inn the region was in Brazil, associated with the country's history of slavery. The largest numbers of captive Africans was transported to Brazil, primarily tgo work in the suh=gar plantations in thre northeast. Brazilas a resuklt if economic develooment has made progress in reducing poverty, but it remains an enormous problem. One lingering manifestation of the poverty problem is street children. We note an orphanage program in Brazil focusing on street children. The Fundação Nacional do Bem-Estar do Menor (FUNABEM, the National Foundation for the Welfare of Minors) was founded (1964). It replaced the Serviço de Assistência ao Menor (SAM, Assistance Service for Minors). FUNABEM was the national program which supported programs in the various states. FUNABEM gave speciall attention to street children.
A 2000 article described poveryy uin Brazil. "Brazil's is among the world's ten largest economies, but poverty is widespread. The World Bank (1997) reported that Brazil has the worst income distribution among more than 60 countries for which data is available. The richest 10 percent of the population effectively control 51.3 percent of total income, while the poorest 20 percent have access to just 2.1 percent of total income. Children and youth in Brazil bear the burden of poverty disproportionately. It is estimated that some 40 percent of those 14 years and under survive precariously in households whose total monthly income is less than one-half Brazil's minimum salary (U.S.$65) (IBGE 1997), with serious consequences for health, education, and access to basic services. Infant mortality rates (44 per 1000 live births) are much higher than for other countries with a comparable gross domestic product. (UNDP 1998) About 30 percent of children never reach the fifth grade of primary schooling and only 22 percent of 15 to 17 year olds are in secondary school. (UNDP 1998) Moreover, these indicators mask tremendous geographic differences. For example, in the South of Brazil 30 percent of 15 to 17 year olds are in secondary school as compared to 17 percent in the Northeast." Brazil has since made progress, but poverty anbd poor levrels of income diusdtribytion still exist. While this is commonly reported abnd accurate, less common is an assessment as to 1) why and 2) what can be done about except for income distrubution. Surely slavery is a major factor in Brazilan poverty, but the questiion remains is why after a cenntury and a half more ptogress has not been made in overcoming the impact of slavery.
Brazil had the largest slave population in the world, substantially larger than the United States. The Portuguese who settled Brazil needed labor to work the large estates and mines in their new Brazilian colony. They turned to slavery which became central to the colonial economy. It was particularly important in the mining and sugar cane sectors. Slavery was also the mainstay in the Caribbean islands with economies centered on sugar. Estimates suggest that about 35 percent of captured Africans involved in the Atlantic slave trade were transported to Brazil. Estimates suggest that more than 3 million Africans reached Brazil, although precise numbers do not exist. Brazil had begun to turn to slavery in the 15th century as explorers began moving along the coast of Africa. With the discovery of the Americas, the Portuguese attempted to enslave the Native American population as well. This did not prove successful. The Native Americans died in large numbers, both because of slave rading, mistreatment, and the lack of resistance to European diseases. The Portuguese found captured Africans to be a valuable trading commodity as Europeans began to settle the Caribbean islands. They also began transporting Africans to their Brazilian colony. Portuguese Prime Minister Marquês de Pombal abolished slavery in Portugal (February 12, 1761). The Portuguese action, however, did not address slavery in the colonies. Slaver ownership was widely practiced. Brazilians of all classes owned slaves. Slaves were not only owned by upper and middle class Brazilians, but also by lower class Brazilians. There were even slaves who owned other slaves. Slavery has a huge impact on Brazil. It affected both the economy and the ethnic make up of the Brazilian population. The importation of such a large number of Africans into a colony with such a small number of Portuguese, profoundly affected the ethnic ballance. The level of Africam imports also meant thsat unlike North America, Africam culture was not largely wiped out and thus had a significant impsct on Brazilian culture (food, music, dance and religious practices). This is especiuallt the case in Rio and the northwast where many of the slaves were concentrated.
One of the most notable economic develolpments in the post-World War II have been the development of Tiger Economies wgich have elevated formerly poor countries into developed economies with European living standards. This began with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore--the original Tiger Economies. All were Asian anbd all instead of pursuing Socialist income dustribution polices, adopted capoyalist economic policies. And since that success the two msjor Asian countries (China and India) have made huge success by adopting many similar policies. The obvious questions which we do not see being asked in the Main Stream Media is: Why are there no Latn American Tiger Economirs.
Brazil is half of South America, a huge country with enormous natural resources. Historians differ on the nature of the pre-Colombian Native American economy. Portuguese settlement was primarily along the coast and after a brief Dutch period focused on sugar plantations based on slavery. The substantial Native American population was virtually eliminated by the Portuguese efforts to enslave them. Here European diseases played a major role. A large portion of the Africans transported by the trans-Atlantic slave trade went to Brazil. After independence, coffe developed as a major commodity during the Imperial period. At the turn-of-the 20th century there was a rubber boom. The country gradually began to develop the enormous Amazonian basin. After a period of political instability, Marxist insurrection, and military rule, Brazil has adopted free market economics which has resulted in an extended period of economic growth. The country coverted from gasoline to sugar produced alcohol, but is now finding oil off its coast. Brazil is a major exporter of raw materials, both mineral and agricultural. Brazil in recent years as a result of the free market for the first time has developed manufacturing companies able to compete in the world market. Socialist parties who have won free and open elections have decioded to pursue free market policies to promote economic growth. President Lula was a controversial figure in Brazilian politics, but proved to be a masterful steward of the country's economy. There are very few examples in modern economics of countries converting resource wealth into a modern productive economy. Rare success stories are Australia, Canada, and Norway. Brazil seems well on its way to finally accomplishing this. There have, however, been a series of booms in Brazilian economic history) sugar, coffee, and rubber). The Brazilian economy is still primarily dependent of exporting raw materials. And like several other raw material exporters, Brazil's success to a large degree in primarily premised on the rapid development of China and other developing countries like India. This has created an insatiable demand for raw materials. Economists differ on China's future. Brazil has made, however, considerable progress in developing a more diversified economy. This effort was suupported by Socfialist President Luiz Inácio Lula who implemebnted a series of free market reforms. Brazil has now elected a new president--Dilma Rousseff (2010). She is a former Marxist guerrilla who is pledged to continuing President Lula's mixture of socialism and free market policies.
Brazil's first governmental institutional effort to assist poor children, focused priamrily on abandoned children, many of whom had turned to petty theft to survive and were considered delinquents. , It was the Assistance Service to Minors (SAM) founded (1941). SAM was meant to assess the needs of the children. And then to create and run the needed institutions to xare for them. Earloer the Catholic Church has made some efforts. This was the firsr governmental effort. Because mnany of the children ahd been forced ro steal r=to surviuve, SAM took a basically repressive, penal approach to the effort. They were seen as a threats to social order. The resulting correctional facilities were according to some accounts, 'branches of hell'. [Costa, 1990, p.38.] Assocail aditides began to change. articles began to appear in the press about SAM reporting corruption and often the brutal reatment of the children.
The Brazilan Governmnent during the presidency of President Joao Goulart estankished a commission to make major changes in SAM (1963). Brazil abdd several other countries at the time were undergoing Comminidst insurgencies. The Guerrilha do Araguaia movement was not as prinounced as in otgher countries, , militaruy was unerbed by leftist politicans whose iuntentiins were diffuicult to assess. Thenmilitary seized power (1964). This affected government opetations, but the Military went on with 'anti-SAM'. It is unclear to what extent they altered them. A enbtirely new institution was estrablished--the National Foundation for the Welfare of Minors (FUNABEM). It ooerated directly under the President of the Republic , not as a unit of a ministry. The announced purpose was to offer assistance to marginalized children. , Critics complasin, however, that FUNABEM was not a new start in the effort to care for these children. It ing=herited too muuch of the culture, institutions, and staff of SAM. It continued much of the old incarceration model.
Critics believe that the all too real 'problem of the minor' came to be viewed through the prevailing lens of national security. The result was the Minor's Code of 1979. [Vogel and Rizzini 1995.]. This new law gave the Military Regime the authority to intervene in the lives of children and adolescents in what was described as 'irregular circumstances'. This provision grouped together abandoned children together with children and youth who congregated in public places for recreation and informal commerce, and youth engaged in criminal activities. The result was if not to criminalize the activities of millions of young people, gave the Military the authority to act agaunst young people on the street.
FUNABEM authorized state governments to set up child welfare institutions -- State Foundations for the Welfare of Minors (FEBEMs). Here young people determined to be living in irregular circumstances were incarcerated. These youths included both children who had committed mostly petty crimes along with youth rounded up in actions to remove children from the streets. These facilities quickly developed the same terrible reputation as the earlier SAM 'hell holes'.
Costa, Antonio Carlos Gomes da.. (1990). A Mutaçao Social. Brasil Criança Urgente: A Lei 8060/90 (Sao Paulo: Columbus Cultural: 1990). .
Vogel, A. and Rizzini, Irma.). "O Menor Filho do Estado: Pontos de Partida para urea Histório da Assistência á Infância no Brasil," in A Arte de Governar Crianças. A História das Políticas Socias, da Legislaçao e da Assistência â Infância no Brasil (Pilotti, F., & Rizzini, I., Eds. Rio de Janeiro: IIN, EDUSU, AMAIS, 1995).
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