The construction of the Brazilian neoliberal society: what is the place of democracy?

Abstract The paper aims to analyze how democracy is structured within the neoliberal capitalist system in the Brazilian context. While neoliberalism requires market liberalization, reduction of the social state, and financialization of life, democracy presupposes political and economic equality, public apparatus, and inclusion; thus, it is necessary to discuss this conflicting relationship. The first session of the work discusses the economic, political, and social system of neoliberalism, understanding its requirements and characteristics, as opposed to democratic pretensions, to enter into Brazilian particularities. The second topic analyzes the construction of a neoliberal society in the country, establishing the investigation through the clash between social development and neoliberal advancement in Brazil. Finally, it examines the presence of neoliberal capitalism from the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) governments to the first two years of the Bolsonaro government, questioning the place of democracy. For this, the research used the deductive approach method and type of bibliographical and documentary research with a qualitative approach. In conclusion, we highlight the obstacle that neoliberalism imposes to realize a substantial, egalitarian, and plural democracy, marginalizing its power and restricting it to the electoral sphere.