Rounds of neoliberalization, provision of infrastructure and the Í€œChina effectÍ€ in Brazil after the 1990s

Abstract

This article examines the phases of neoliberalization of the investments in infrastructure in Brazil since 1990, considering its role as exporter of primary goods in the international division of labor, and the preeminence of China in the global hierarchy. From the notions of economic circuits of accumulation and the process of neoliberalization, the paper argues the relevance of the Chinese economy to organize the sub-national scales in Brazil, leading decisions and promoting the reordering of Brazilian territory, especially the investment decisions regarding infrastructure. This is justified by the fact that China is the main destination of Brazilian commodity exports, or because of the Chinese companies' interests in controlling assets in infrastructure in Brazil. The paper is based on an interdisciplinary historical-structural method and on analyses of documents and information from the Brazilian government and from the press.