Cardosoism

Cardosoism
Basic Information
Aliases	Toucanism Clintonism/Blairism applied to Brazil Banana Republicanism (by Socialists)
Alignments	Center-LibRight  Culturally Left
Ideological Influences
Influenced by	Anti-Imperialism (debatably) Atlanticism Classical Liberalism Fiscal Conservatism Globalism Green Liberalism Humanism Kleptocracy(accused) Land Reformism Moderatism Monetarism Neoliberalism Pacifism Progressivism Reformism Social Liberalism Social Capitalism Social Democracy
Influenced	Toucanism
Ideological Information
Notable Theorists	Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1931-) Brazil
Notable Examples	Brazil (1995-2003)
Character Information
Likes	Privatization and deeregulation Social programs Liberalism
Dislikes	State-Owned Companies The Military Dictatorship Socialism
Song	Fernando Henrique Presidente Levanta a Mão

Cardosoism is an economically center-right, culturally left-wing and liberal ideology representing the beliefs of the Ex-President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso de Mello.

History

] Cardoso, often nicknamed "FHC", was elected with the support of a heterodox alliance of his own Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) and two right-wing parties, the Liberal Front Party (PFL) and the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB). Brazil's largest party, the centrist Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB), joined Cardoso's governing coalition after the election, as did the right-wing Brazilian Progressive Party (PPB) in 1996.

Cardoso's presidency saw institutional advancements in human rights, beginning with a national secretariat and a new government program, discussed with civil society, to address the issue. On 8 January 1996, he issued the controversial Decree 1775, which created a framework for the clear demarcation of indigenous territories, but which, as part of the process, opened indigenous territories to counterclaims by adjacent landowners. In 2000, Cardoso demanded the disclosure of some classified military files concerning Operation Condor, a network of South American military dictatorships that kidnapped and assassinated political opponents.

FHC was the first Brazilian President to address the inequality and the enormous gap between rich and poor. He started the following programs: Bolsa Escola, the Auxílio Gás, the Bolsa Alimentação, and the Cartão Alimentação.

His wife, Ruth Cardoso, focused on unifying transfer programs aimed at helping people suffering from poverty and hunger., by means of a program based on the idea that educating the poor could help raise them out of poverty.

Cardoso's administration deepened the privatization program launched by president Fernando Collor de Mello. During his first term, several government-owned enterprises in areas such as steel milling, telecommunications and mining, such as Telebras and Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, were sold to the private sector, the deepest denationalisation in Brazilian history, amidst a polarized political debate between "neoliberals" and "developmentalists". Economists still contend over its long-term effects; some research suggests that companies sold by the government achieved better profitability as a result of their disengagement from the state.

Despite the sale of public assets, the years 1995 to 2002 saw a rise of the total public debt from 30% to 55.5% of GDP. Economists aligned with his government argued that this was due to external factors outside the control of the administration at the time, such as the devaluation of the Brazilian real and the growth of the share of the debt denominated in US dollars. Nevertheless, devaluation of the currency was an instrument of monetary policy used right after his reelection, when the real pegged to the dollar led to a financial crisis that saw the country lose much of its foreign reserve fund and raise its interest rates on government bonds to very high levels as he tried to stabilize the currency under a new free-floating regime. With this economic shift, the greatest achievement of Cardoso – his landmark of lowering of inflation – was maintained, but his popularity plummeted.

Given his previous experience as Minister of Foreign Affairs and his prestige as an internationally famous sociologist, he was respected on the world scene, building friendships with such leaders as Bill Clinton and Ernesto Zedillo. Although he was respected abroad, in Brazil he had problems gaining support in Congress for government priorities and among people in general. As a result, major reforms planned by the executive branch, such as changes in the tax system and to social security, were only partially approved and only after long discussion. Although claiming to still support social democracy, his economic policies led people on the left to identify him with neoliberalism and right-wing politics, terms that often carry a very negative connotation in Latin American political debate and academic circles.

He also experienced personal problems with former ally Itamar Franco, his predecessor and later became Governor of Minas Gerais, a fierce opponent of his administrative reforms that saw the state lose its capacity to contract debt and forced a reduction of local government spending. Cardoso was also criticized for amending the constitution to his own benefit, allowing him to stay eight years in office. His popularity in his first four years, gained with the success of Plano Real, decreased during his last four years as the currency crisis was followed by lower economic growth and employment rates, greater public debt, growing political dissent, low levels of investment in appropriate infrastructure, and, finally, an energy crisis caused by an unexpected drought, as over 80% of Brazil's electricity is hydroelectric. He publicly admitted that he could have done more for public security and for the creation of new jobs, but defended his policies in areas such as health and education.

Cardoso's administration was accused of bribing congressmen to pass a constitutional amendment that secured FHC the right to seek reelection, which he eventually won.

Personality and Behaviour

Cardosoism is very educated and (somewhat) philosophical. He loves privatization and deeregulation, and would privatize the entire FreePCB if he got any chance. He also loves to travel to foreign countries.

Relationships

Friends

• Third Way - My preferred ideology and role model.
• Neoliberalism - Privatization go brrrrrrrr!
• Toucanism - My beloved political party and friend. Our vision of a Liberal Democratic Brazil will not be in vain!
• Social Liberalism and Social Capitalism - Who said a Capitalist can't care about the poor?
• Monetarism - Togheter we ended hyperinflation! Don't search for the "Samba Effect".
• Moderatism - The path to progress is to stick with moderation and reform.
• Itamarism - Thank you Mr. Franco for appointing me as Minister of the Economy. If it wasn't you, I could never have accended to such position of President of Brazil.
• Mandelaism - A big friend of mine and we both agree that racism sucks.
• Blairism - Great inspiration, but the Iraq War was awful.

Frenemies

• Menemism - We both were just trying to bring our countries to a new modern direction without inneficient economic bureaucracy and ruthless right-wing authoritarianism, but you should have funded more social services and, please, drop your conservatism.
• Workerism - I disliked you back then when you were a dirty commie, but you became acceptable over the time when you accepted that Capitalism is the future.
• Sarneyism - You saved Brazil from a new dictatorship, but your economic policy was awful.
• Temerism - You are so radical...
• Social Democracy - Love this guy. We agree on almost everything and he's my old friend. But why he dislikes my large scale privatization program and Neoliberalism.
• Conservatism - How much your support costs in money?

Enemies

• State Capitalism - The efficiency of the market is indubitably and I privatized most of your companies. Cope
• Bolsonarism - Disgusting Reactionary who doesn't know the actual meaning of Liberalism. I even had to support him from so awful you are.
• Getulism - The one that started everything bad. You could have worked to destroy the Plutocratic Oligarchy in the Old Republic, but no... You had to coup the government and install a pseudo-fascist government and fill Brazil with these populist freaks. I guess, your social programs were okay, but that's everything good I can say about your government.
• Nationalism, especially Economic Nationalism - No nation-state deserves to be praised until they actually do something for their citizens regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class and religion.
• Milosevicism - I supported the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia to stop your bloodbath.
• Medicism - You are literally the Brazilian Hitler!

Further Information

Fernando Henrique Cardoso