THE RESURGENCE OF MARXIST DEPENDENCY THEORY AND THE RECOVERY OF POLOP'S HISTORY

HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND POLITICAL CONJUNCTURE OF MDT'S TRAJECTORY

Abstract

Brazil has witnessed, in recent years, a theoretical and political resurgence of Marxist Dependency Theory (MDT). This revival, accompanied by a critical revision and historical update, occurs within a context of renewed neodevelopmentalism, escalating fascism, and the institutionalization of the left. Seeking to understand the reasons for this resurgence, this work aims to systematize part of the theory's history, particularly its connection to the formation of the ORM-POLOP, thereby contributing to the history of the radical left in Brazil. Consequently, the history of the theory's proponents—specifically Ruy Mauro Marini, Vânia Bambirra, and Theotônio dos Santos—will be analyzed, focusing on their political activity within POLOP. The main theses will be reviewed, proposing an articulation between the context of the 1960s, the challenges of which were confronted by POLOP, and the contemporary context of neodevelopmentalism. The study defends the hypothesis that the similarity of the problems and difficulties faced has driven the re-emergence of Marxist Dependency Theory. The methodology employed is bibliographic analysis. It is concluded that the theoretical resurgence of MDT is the result of the work of various researchers and is caused by the unfinished nature of the left's tasks in the country.