The Bolsonaro Government's 2019 pension reform in Brazil: a policy discourse analysis

In 2019, the Brazilian Government secured support to pass radical reforms to the state pension system. Drawing on concepts from historical materialist policy analysis and critical discourse analysis, this paper contributes to understanding how the Bolsonaro Government utilized narratives of inter- and intra-class and generational (in)equity to problematize constitutional guarantees of social and economic rights and warrant fiscal austerity and curtailment of social protections. We contend that the 2019 pension reform can be understood as a complementary political project to the preceding Temer Government's labor market reforms and successful passing of legislation to place a ceiling on Federal expenditure to constrain pro-welfare politics. Our analysis adds to understanding of how policy discourse legitimated a transformation in Brazilian social policy commensurate with advancing a conservative austere-liberal market hegemony project.

Automated summary

This paper examines the Brazilian government's pension reform in 2019 and its impact on social policies. The study finds that the government utilized narratives of class and generational inequality to question constitutional guarantees of social and economic rights, leading to fiscal austerity and reduced social protections. This reform complements the labor market reforms of the previous government and aims to advance a conservative liberal market hegemony.