Neoliberalism and regional development

obstacles of regional policy in Brazil

Abstract

The neoliberal tradition has produced changes in the role of the State and in the conduct of public life, regional transformations cannot escape these transformations. In this context, this article aims to investigate the character of regional policies in Brazil in the last 20 years, if their conduct is subject to the neoliberal guidelines established for the "State of Consolidation", as well as the possibilities and limits that such guidelines impose on regional development. . To this end, a literature review on the concept of neoliberalism and its remodeling of the role of the State is carried out; its influence on the guidelines on regional policies proposed by international organizations; and, finally, it presents the direction of regional development policies in Brazil, in the last 20 years, and its interlocution with neoliberal logic. The results suggest that although there is a resumption of regional policies in the country, with relevant regional impacts, the conduct of the policy is restricted to the neoliberal policy agenda that forms a “State of Consolidation”, therefore, subject to the guidelines of the State's creditors, with performance reduced to granting incentive to increase the competitiveness of the territory in order to make them more attractive for the decisions of the market of location, production, employment and population.

Keywords: Neoliberalism. Regional Development. Regional Policies.