Between Eloquence and Evidence: A Critical Review of the Book Democracy, Social Change and Ideologies in Contemporary Brazil

Abstract

The review examines Democracy, Social Change and Ideologies in Contemporary Brazil, by João Batista dos Mares Guia, highlighting its relevance in the post-Bolsonaro context. Published by Éduque in 2024, the book combines political chronicle, sociological essay, and civic manifesto, covering the ‘dark decade’ (2013–2022) and recent structural transformations. Chapter by chapter, the author discusses the 1988 Constitution, the rise of the right, Operation Car Wash, bolsonarismo, the role of parliamentary amendments, and the growing interpenetration of religion and politics. In the second part, he analyzes meritocracy, uberization, agribusiness, union decline, and the ‘culture war.’ The review praises the accessibility of the language, the thematic breadth, and the weight of testimony, but criticizes the methodological weakness, the excess of adjectivization, and the lack of counterarguments.