Tosha Hanford Week 2 (Brazil and France)

Tosha Hanford
Professor Valverde
ASA 189
Week 2

                                                            Brazil and France

Over the last 50 years, Brazil has faced a wide range economical and political challenges. Strategies attempting to address these challenges, have met with some success, and some with failure. One of the most troublesome of the challenges faced by Brazil has been the issue of inflation. One example has been the governmental use of "financial inflation" in which deficits were paid for just by creation of printed money. Brazil had one economical strategy in the 1950s and early 1960s that was similar to what the readings pointed out as an economic strategy of France regarding domestic and imported goods and trade.
For Brazil, this strategic attempt to enhance economical development by substituting imported goods with domestically produced goods, was called the Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI). It was made possible through changes in the exchange rate and trade restrictions such as protective tariffs, import licenses, and export taxes. In the end, however, this meant that more money was being paid for lesser quality goods. Other attempts to create stability for Brazil's economy have been relatively successful, especially the creation and full conversion of the country to the "real" currency in addition to the fiscal deficit decrease in the 1990s. Throughout the years, nationalism and the ability to define its national identity, has been difficult for Brazil. As Brazil entered the twentieth century, many changes occurred including transitioning from a monarchy to a democracy, increased urban developments, abolishment of slavery, and industrialization. These changes called into question what it meant to be Brazilian, what the national identity of Brazil was.
One way that lead to a national identity was the artistic movement called Anthropophagia. This movement celebrated music and rhythms in Brazil and despite where the music was originally from, it was given a Brazilian flare. This music created a new genre that was called samba. Samba was taught as part of the school curriculum, crafting a cultural symbol of Brazil and eventually becoming a source of and part of its national identity. Currently, Brazil's economy is suffering due to a recession, increasing inflation, and other financial vulnerabilities.
Regarding national aesthetic, continuing to develop itself within the realm of economic (an economy currently speculated to be down 3.5% this year) artistic, and athletic achievements would seeming espouse more pride and confidence in Brazil nationals especially concerning the increased polls of desiring tone peach their president Dilma Rousseff. Brazil might be given a great chance at this during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Regarding the readings concerning the French economy and national aesthetic, my question would be how much did the rate of rate of France's economic growth pertain specifically to the arts?


Works cited:

Santiago Stockler, Julia. "School of Social and Political Science: Graduate School." : Working Papers in Nationalism Studies. Institute of Governance, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2016

Ramoza, Kenneth. "Here's Why Brazil's Economy Is Getting Killed." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
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Image:
From the Economist magazine and the Democratic Underground http://www.democraticunderground.com/111671134