Brazzil

As usual Cristovam is right on the money. Education is the biggest asset a country can have and it is not costly as the pay back is a first world infrastucture that can compete with a world ecomony and ever increase the wealth of it's people.

India is a poor nation. it lags behind brazil in all fields from per capita income to percentage of the population under the povert line. Buarque once again uses sensationalism and faulty information to get his point. Regardless of how positive this new development in india may be the fact is most young indians don´t make it to school. Buarque should learn that feeding people false information and expecting the outcome ( a good educational tool in india) to excuse the false information is negative. Accurate information is the first step to good education Mr Buarque and what you said about india being decades ahead of brasil just isn´t true. Can you not just make your point without a sensationalist lie to advertise it. In the end you just lose credibility amongst those who question what they read and put a false idea in the heads of those who don´t.

I agree with the above poster, India ia indeed still a poor country seperated by castes, dire economic conditions for much of its people, and the author continues to falsly compare Brasil with other developing countries, last time it was South Africa. But India...and China are making much faster strides than Brasil. This does have to do with education, trade polices, and the government making investments in infustructure. China, as a communist country always made sure that the majority of it's children could read and write (please, I am not a communist, so don't waste your breath), children there graduate the Universities, India's investment in education has paid off as well, as the Indian Universities now graduate the world's best chemists, scientists, and technical engineers. Education in Brasil on the other hand, is sadly a luxury for the elite, the elite can send their children to the best in private schools, as well as purchase the best University degree money can by. The percentage of children that obtain a good education in Brasil, is much lower than China or India. Both China and India have also invested in technical and trade education for it's citizens. Brasil has not, once again, a factor in the poor not being employable. No, I often disagree with the author, but in this case he is right. But still as a PT Senator, the party in power, he points out only problems without offering possible solutions. Perhaps if the government took away the barriers that prevent us from really growing our economy, we could find the money to fund good public schools. Instead of artificially controlling growth with high interest rates, and taxes. Let the people of Brasil decide their destiny, and take care of there families, this decades old regional model is sick and tired. Countries like Chile, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and even Peru, who have adopted more modern (western?), economic polices are doing quite well. Does anyone here really believe that our economy is doing as well as we are being told...hell, even Colombia is performing better than us. We have become the "France" of Latin America, we continue to think we have a regional empire, when in fact it disappeared decades ago. Our arogance, self-pity, and foolish pride will be the death of us. India and China are improving much faster than Brasil, they deal with corruption and crime, swiftly and decisivly, and they are only focused on "more money", better Walmart contracts, more exports, more successful small businesses, their experiment in capitalism is working, will we learn our lesson?

I live in the US and I am a Brazilian citizen. I had the opportunity to work with people from India at Intel and other high tech companies here. India is doing much better than Brazil in what we are neglecting regarding public education.

Buarque is right on the money.

Brazil needs to invest more and more in education, what is the most important infrastructure of the future. Substantial and well-organized education programs are the best way to remove people from the Favelas to a better life. Education generates more business and enhances the high tech industry.

Football, carnival and Novellas are good for entertainment but we need to get serious about the future of the Brazilians in an increasingly competitive world.

Em 1999 tive a oportunidade de viajar a Indonesia. Conheci uma moca com a qual casei seguindo as leis e tradicoes daquele pais.
Desde entao tenho tentado legalizar esse casamento no Brasil. Entretanto so encontro dificuldades. A minha esposa tentou registrar o casamento no servico consular do Brasil na Indonesia quando ela vivia la. Contudo o service consular Brasileiro nao aceitou por que eu nao me encontrava na Indonesia.
Nesses ultimos anos, eu fui varias vezes ao Consulado Geral do Brasil em Toronto no Canada e sempre escutei meias explicacoes. Fomos ate’ em um tabeliao em Toronto e fizemos um documento com firma reconhecida afirmando que o nosso casamento era comuninhao parcial de bens para satisfazer as leis brasileiras. Levamos todos esses documentos ao Servico Consular do Brasil em Toronto. Pagamos uma taxa de $72,00 para eles reconhecerem todos os documentos apresentados.
Enviamos os Documentos para a Embaixada no Brasil em Jacarta. Contudo, ate’ o momento encontramos uma ma’ vontade do Servico Diplomatico do Brasil em reconhecer os documentos. Troquei varios e-mails com a Sra. Ingrid a respeito desses documentos. A Sra. Ingrid atraves de e-mails me informou que a funcionaria Jenny estava responsavel por esses documentos.
Em 11 de Fevereiro de 2005 a minha cunhada foi ate’ a Embaixada do Brasil em Jacarta para pagar as devidas taxas e fazer o servico burocratico em instituicoes da Indonesia em Jakarta.
Para facilitar tal acao, ligamos para a funcionaria de manha cedo no dia 11 de Fevereiro de 2005. A Sra. Jenny nao estava a par dos documentos e informou que era so’ com a Sra. Ingrid.
Entao liguei duas vezes na mesma manha e falei com o Sr. Jose Auri e pedi a ele educadamente que pudesse agilizar esses documentos.
Entao o que ele decidiu fazer, dar os documentos para a minha cunhada e pedir a ela que autenticasse assinatura do oficial de justica do meu casamento em Surabaya. Vale notar que a distancia entre Surabaya e Jakarta sao cerca de 1000 kms.

E’ dificil acreditar que isso esteja ocorrendo. Eu fui na Indonesia, fui muinto bem tratado, respeitei as leis daquele pais, casei conforme as leis e costumes daquela nacao. Agora o servico consular do meu pais faz tanta dificuldade para reconhecer e registrar uma certidao de casamento. O por que? Discriminacao? Inveja?
A minha esposa tem um curso de Contabilidade pela Universidade de Airlangga em Surabaya, trabalhou na Ernest & Young por mais de 8 anos e era Senior Auditora quando eu a conheci. Ela veio para o Canada e terminou recentemente um curso em Contabilidade no Seneca College e se formou com Honras. Ela trabalha de Domingo a Domingo uma vez que tem dois empregos de meio periodo e ainda continua estudando a noite. Creio que qualquer pais gostaria de reconhecer o casamento dela.
O governo do Canada nunca questionou o meu casamento com ela. Por que o Brasil dificulta tanto o reconhecimento desses documentos?
O Brasil deveria colocar bons funcionarios no setor diplomatico de qualquer pais. Se o individuo nao serve para tal servico deveria ser mandado embora e nao colocado a trabalhar em paises pobres.
Pelas leis Brasileiras, mesmo sendo casado, se tiver intercurso sexual com uma prostituta, e ela provar tal fato, essa mulher tem os mesmos direitos civis que a minha legitima esposa. Agora por que a minha esposa com a qual casei dentro de uma mesquita nao tem os mesmo direitos? Por que e’ Mulcumana? Por que pertence a outro grupo etnico?
Isso para mim e’ um caso de policia, uma vez que eu passei a minha vida inteira estudando e pensando em fazer um Brasil melhor. Quando a gente pensa que ja sofreu bastante e decide voltar para a casa e ajudar o desenvolvimento do Pais, nos deparamos com essa pobreza de espirito do setor de imigracao brasileiro que copia modelo ultrapassados de imigracao de nacoes decadentes.
A minha esposa esta’ decidida a nao gastar um centavo a mais com esses documentos e nao pensa em se mudar para o Brasil. Sendo assim, tenho que ficar ao lado dela. Portanto, eu nao vou abandonar a minha familia aqui no Canada para ir embora sozinho para o Brasil. Os filhos que tenho no Brasil que se quiserem que se mudem para ca’ e deixem o nacionalismo verde amarelo de lado.
Agora eu nao entendo esse servico diplomatico brasileiro que emprega brasileiros para serem grotescos com funcionarios em embaixada alem mar e em vez de fazer um servico para a Nacao, acabam por fazer um deservico ao Pais.
Eu exijo uma explicacao, estou cansado dessa historia. A minha cunhada quer esperar ate’ um novo corpo diplomatico esteja trabalhando na Embaixada do Brasil em Jacarta. Eu sinto vergonha desse servico como Cidadao Brasileiro.
Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta enjoys playing “PING PONG” instead of soccer and samba


I married to a Brazilian person 5 years ago. We married in KUA Surabaya. Currently, we are a Canadian resident. I decided to legalize my marriage to Brazilian law to satisfy my husband’s family. I sent some emails and made some phone calls to Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta to ask for the legalization procedure. A consul staff there explained that I need to attach agreement or declaration the regimen of Partial Communion of Assets. Therefore, I went to Notary in Toronto to make this declaration. Because I live in Canada and my family live in Surabaya, it would be efficient to send documents through mail. Of course, I would not send the original marriage certificate. The consul staff suggested that I have to legalize the photocopy of the documents to Brazilian Consulate in Toronto and those cost $72.00. I sent the documents to Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta through Purolator that cost $52.32. I also spent money for Notary fee. What was happen when my sister went to Jakarta to pick up the paper? The staff in Jakarta returned my papers and asked my sister to prove the signature of the KUA because the certificate is not the original. This only showed their stupidity. They are not aware that perhaps they would not stay in their current positions until next year. The staffs there do not trust with their own institution. They do not trust Toronto Consulate’s staff that legalized my papers.

It is clearly written:

“O documento em apenso, e copia fiel do original, que me foi apresentado. E, para Constar onde conveir, mandei passer o presente, que assinei e fiz selar com o selo deste Consulado-Deral. Dispensada a legalizacao da assinatura consular de acordo com o artigo 20, do Decreto No. 84.451, de 31.01.80.

Toronto, 8 de novenbro de 2004

I am so disappointed and angry. I have wasted my time and money dealing with such people. I asked my sister to pull out my paper and do not continue the process. I am writing this letter to let Indonesian people know and be careful when must deal with the Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta. For your safety, ask all details information in “WRITING” before you spend money. The staffs there like to “ping pong” public and do not know exactly what they are doing. Unfortunately, the Brazilian government sent incapable staffs to my country.




• Pharmaceutical R&D Technology Post Diploma 2003 - 2004
Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology – Canada
• Industrial Pharmaceutical Technology Post Diploma 2001 - 2002
Faculty of Technology, Seneca College, Toronto
• Chemical Technology Diploma 1998 - 2001
Faculty of Technology, Seneca College, Toronto
• PhD in Science, Biochemistry Program 1988 - 1993
Centre Polytechnique, Parana University, Brazil
• B.S. in Pharmacy 1983 - 1986
University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

HOWEVER, I CAN NOT GO TO BRAZIL BECAUSE MY WIFE BECAME MAD WITH BRAZILIAN EMBASSY SERVICE.

SO. I STAY FAR FROM BRAZIL. BY THE WAY Cristovam BuarquE, WAS THE ONLY SENATOR THAT WROTE TO ME ABOUT MY PROBLEM.

THANK YOU SENATOR.

I recently visited India, yes there is poverty in India, but COME ON BRAZIL IS NOT A RICH COUNTRY EXACTLY.

Indians on average are better educated, (and are educating themselves), more than Brazilians, Brazil has a long way to go, not only that, but India has a very fast growing market, that keeps escalating ranks in the list of world wide economies, while Brazil went from the tenth largest to the 18th largest in a few years, not because Brazilian economy was going backwards, but because Brazil's economy is mediocre, very dependant of foreign economies such as the US and europe.

the same thing happened with mexico, mexico diversified their economy, and they have already left brazil behind, mexico is today the tenth largest economy in the world, not only this but their economy is growing fast and steadly, while brazilian economy keeps struggling with the same issues they had 10 years ago.

I honestly think Brazil is slowly becoming the next india, and overpopulated country full of massive missery, and with an ignorant population.

The more I read, the more it seems the only qualification for getting ANY license or getting ANY govermnent position is having the right recommendation from Brazil's socialist movement. Why don't you and your whole family just pursue the course of being one big happy CANADIAN family? Brazil is a lost cause for at least the next 10 years.

lost cause for the next 10 years?
try next 20

in 20 years you'll see their spanish speaking neighbors putting border controls all over brazil to avoid the massive influx of brazilians into these countries

with the exception of venezuela, the rest of spanish speaking south america is doing better than brazil

The person that wrote "while Brazil went from the tenth largest to the 18th largest in a few years" is completely mistaken.

This statement is not true and Brazil is the biggest economy in the Latin America and even in the South Hemisphere of the planet.

Please, express your opinion democratically but honestly.

Brazil, as I said above, needs to improve its education but Brazil does have also many great intellectuals and bright people and our economy is actually modernizing although slowly.

Come on, NO Exaggerations, please.

Hard to believe that someone thinks that Bolivia, Uruguay, Argentina and co. are better off economically than us here on Brazil. We have fuel-flex technology which unable us not to invade other countries for oil. Number one in soybeans, sugar cane, livestock and so on...Our airplane industry is top notch, and we also export automobiles, and many other products. If you don't like that and dislike Brazil, stuff it and stay away from here as we don't need your fat anglo arses around...

Bring the USA into this conversation...let's bash those pale yankies!

The comments on the forum are riddled with inaccuracies about Brasil, which should be expected, as they are written by people who know a little about our country, but pretend to know much more. Still, the substance of the article from our PT Senator is indeed accurate, although based on recent political events, I hope he is getting paid, because the PT is toast. It is moronic to compare Brazil with our poorer neighbors in the region, our economy drives the entire area. We SHOULD be compared to China and India, as Brasil had the same opportunites, but took a much different path, failing to offer a decent public education forour citizens. India and China have trained the best in life sciences, chemists, software engineering, and other trades so valuable in this era, Brasil has failed miserabaly at this. Unfortuantly, I have to agree with our friends(?) that we are decades behind, unfortunatly we wil have to make difficult choices as well, which Brasil has never been willing to do...looking for the easiest and usually wrong way. As to our friend who touts our recent export success, with the exception of our aircraft exports, it is still the elite who benefit, large agrira is priviatly owned, and the money stays with the powerful farmers who own the land, much of it ending up outside Brasil. How does that help?

I wrote on text above since, I was trying to return to Brazil with a foreigner wife. I am a Brazillian nacionalist, in spite of all, I was born in Brazil and I became mad when people talks bad about Brazil.
When I read that was some exageration that Brazil is now 18th largest economy in the world, I stayed upset. I went to sleep and then I started to count, Japan, china, India, South Korea, perhaps Malasia, what about Thailand. Hopps! I can not forget Australia, what about New Zeland? Then, I jumped to Europe, we have England, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Dinamark, Sweden, Swiss. I really do not know that all these small countries have a bigger economy than Brazil. Then in America we have Canada, USA, Mexico, what about Chile, Argentine. So, I cited 22 Countries that could have a bigger economy than Brazil.
I did not sleep well. I got up, 5 am. I turned on the computer and I went to do some research. Well by the economist magazine, the best countries list to live, Brazil is in 39th position. I was not satisfied, I went to United Nation web page. It is so difficult to get data from there because they are very careful about how they are going to display all those statistic. However, Brazil is not doing well in general. I saw a globe map and all countries in the South America with exception from Venezula are doing better in economic growth than Brazil.
So, I went back to bed.
Sorry, unfortunately, I am not allowed to help. Perhaps, it is better to be quite here in Canada for the rest of my life.

Brasil, has fallen from the 8th largest economy in the world to 15th...pretty damn sad isn't it? I also agree, that there are other countries in South and Latin America which have adopted new, and successful economic polices that could move right past Brasil as well.

actually yes, brazil was the 8th largest economy and now is the 15th
in only 10 years

spain, australia, canada, mexico, china, south korea, among other countries have passed brazil economically

and locally in south america, watch out for argentina's recovery, argewntina with a population 5 times smaller than that of brazil, has traditionally been richer than brazil. and now is recovering again and very fast.
and chile, who many especialists claim has already all the requirements to be pretty much considered a developed country.

sorry brazil, but it seems to me that brazil doesn't have a very bright future

in the next years i predict a lot more social unrest, as poverty grows and the gap between rich and poor (THE LARGEST INTHE WORLD) keeps growing, also watch out for the favela phenomenon getting outta hand.
i think brazil with lula, who wants to turn brazil into a second cuba, might end up having a smaller version of las farc in brazil's territory too

BTW another country that is experiencing a good economical growth is colombia, after years of war, and local issues. colombia seems to be getting outta the hole.

crime has dropped dramatically in the last years, and unemployment too, also kidnappings dropped and now mexico is number 1 in kidnappings, and brazil is up there too, i wouldnt be surprised if brazil passes colombia in kidnappings as brazil's kidnappings keep growing, while colombia's keep dropping.

And I'm a Brasilian living in Rio. We seem to believe the crap we read, as well as all the nonsense about this recovery, the fact is, Brasil, is in every way a free fall. Every single indicator, crime, political unrest, poor leadership and a failing social structure looks like big trouble for the future, and I mean immediate future. This country is a total mess, with no way out, and once again, we continue to turn a blind eye. Our pride, our undying selfesh pride that prevents us from admiting and realizing our problems will be the death of many of us.

I think is a bit embarrasing for brazil, such a big country to be so poor, brazil thanks to its size, should be the leader, the big brother in latin america.

however this doesn't happen, and it's usually countries like mexico, and argentina the ones that take the lead, while brazil keeps looking obssesively towards europe, where he is usually ignored.

i think brazil's future is with their other south american brothers, stepping up the plate and taking leadership, since brazil is the largest of all.

tr

Looking at all this objectively

1 . Brazil has the largest economy in latin america. brazil was surpassed by mexico 3 years ago and has recently regained the title of largest gdp in latin america. This is a fact. make of it what you will.
2. brazil did not fall from the 8th largest economy in the world to the 18th. This is simply not true . Do some research. It is not a shame to be wrong but it is to be wrong due to laziness and sloppy research.
3. Spain has received 100 bilion dollars from the european union in development funds ( fundos a titulo perdido). Ou seja não precisam pagar esse dinheiro a união europeia. Brazil on the other hands fall into the arm of the imf when in difficulty and pays back these loans. is this unfair? Perhaps, but it makes brazil a nation that deals with its problems and sees them more clearly than the dependent nations of europe ( spain, italy, portugal, greece). it is a learning expereince that will do brazil well in the future since one day the german people will be tired of giving money to southern europeans that can´t stand on their own.
Brazil is still the second largest destination among emerging economies in foreign investment. Why? Because people and companies who decide where to invest their money actually do research unlike many of the writers here who just make up statistics.
I think brazil has many obstacles to overcome but as with any nation, any individual in any situation , decisions should be made according to sound information and not thru the heresay i have read here.

P.S To the brazilian citizen that is having trouble in the recognition of his marriage to a foreign national by the brazilian embassy in jakarta, indonesia. I know of a similar experience, here we can only hear your side of the story and not the brazilian embassies side but if what you say is true i can only teel you this. Recognizing a foreign national and allowing a foreign national to live, reside and have a brazilian CPF is based on xenophobic laws. Whether they are usefull or not is another topic . I SUGEST THAT YOU WRITE to the minesterio das relações exteriores www.mre.gov.br and find the suitable chanel for your complaint. I have been to the process, it is tiresome and it isn´t because your wife is from indonesia since the cases i deal with are from first world countries whose spouses have the same qualifications as your wife and encounter the same dificulties. I hope you do not give up since a weel qualified and disciplines person such as your wife can do very well in brazil and make a good living. This is what i do, i complain, i make sure the people i complain to hear what i have to say and that their bosses know about it as well and i take it as a education in discipline and perserverence.
P.S Indonesia is a wonderfull place

BAGUS

Your posting is interesting, and very Brasilian...your claim to the facts is about 1/2 acurate. Yes, Brasil is the largest economy in Latin America...so what? This is based simply on the fact that it is the largest country in the region, with the largest population. Bigger does not necessarly mean better, while Brasil has always boasted the largest regional economy, the smaller economies of Chile, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, and El Salvador, have adopted much more progressive polices, and are providing better opportunites for their citizens. Argentina continues to recover at a rapid rate, and yes, even Colombia is making better progress than Brazil. This "learning expereince" that Brasil is going through has sure been a long one...about three decades, when will Brasil learn? As far as investment, I won't claim to know the facts, but I do know that it is indeed true, that Brasil, in 2004, fell to the 15th, largest economy in the world, pretty sad, based on Brasil's potential. I find it hard to believe that there is more foreign investment in Brasil than China or India, or some of the emerging economies in Eastern Europe. I do know that Brasil hampers more foriegn investment, by ancient labor laws, high intrest rates, high taxes, and impossible employement laws...no my friend, companies are not investing in Brasil the way they should. Your Brasilian outlook, of "gee, see how much better we are" just doesn't hold water anymore.

I live in North America for more than 10 years. I saw many Brazillian go back to Brazil with some money, dreaming with a new life and then return to North America without a cent. In general, they open businesses and then fall in the Brazillian system. Our employment laws are terrible and it is difficult to establish because there are so much burocracy.
Some days ago, I bought 27 lab equipments from the Federal Government of Canada. Three HPLCs, a Gas Chromatograph, water bath temperature, vaccumm pump, etc... They are used equipments that the government does not use any more. I just paid $500 dollars for all equipments. I shopped blindly and for my surprise all the equipments look very good. I said to my wife those machines, I will not buy in Brazil for at least one hundred american dollars.
I will run a business here in Canada or even in the USA in one year from now.
I can start my life from the scraps. We, Brazillins are famous for the creativity.
Good luck everybody.

It seems to me that the brazillian economy is going down, even the richers made less money in 2003 in comparasion with 2002.
Development of a Country is not made by destroying the riches.

JANAINA LAGE
da Folha Online, no Rio

O primeiro ano do governo Lula foi marcado pela redução da desigualdade social, segundo a Síntese dos Indicadores Sociais, divulgada hoje pelo IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística).

No entanto, a redução da desigualdade em 2003 --aparentemente uma boa notícia-- foi gerada por uma queda generalizada na renda da população e que atingiu, principalmente, as classes mais altas.

A mudança no quadro de desigualdade social significou que os 10% mais ricos passaram a ganhar 16,9 vezes o rendimento dos 40% mais pobres em 2003. No ano anterior, os ricos ganhavam 18 vezes o total dos pobres.

As regiões Norte e Centro-Oeste foram as que mais reduziram a desigualdade. Nelas, os mais ricos ganhavam 13,5 vezes e 16,1 vezes mais do que a parcela mais pobre da população, respectivamente.

Mas essa redução da desigualdade não veio acompanhada do aumento do rendimento dos mais pobres. Em 2003, houve uma queda generalizada da renda de 7,5%. A diferença é que o rendimento dos ricos caiu 9%, enquanto o dos mais pobres recuou 3%.

Os trabalhadores mais prejudicados pela queda no rendimento em 2003 foram os informais, os militares e os funcionários públicos. O rendimento médio do país passou de R$ 747,90 em 2002 para R$ 692,10 em 2003. Vale destacar que desde 1993, o rendimento mais alto do trabalhador foi obtido em 1996, quando ele chegou a ganhar R$ 853,15.

As diferentes situações do mercado de trabalho por região e por regime de contratação tiveram peso significativo sobre a renda do trabalhador. Em 2003, o rendimento médio no Sudeste chegava a R$ 822,30. No Nordeste, não passava de R$ 409,40.

Da mesma forma que os ganhos não são equânimes, as perdas de poder aquisitivo também mostraram diferenças entre regiões. Na região metropolitana de Belém, o trabalhador chegou a perder 20,9% no rendimento. No Rio Grande do Norte, a queda foi de 18,2% e na região metropolitana de Salvador, 17,3%.

Quando se avalia os salários em razão da posição na ocupação, verifica-se que os trabalhadores informais, que já contam com remuneração bastante inferior aos de carteira assinada, arcaram com boa parte das perdas. A renda desses trabalhadores caiu 9,4% em relação a 2002. Os militares e os funcionários públicos tiveram queda de 9% na renda. Os empregados com carteira e os empregadores tiveram taxa de redução de 7,9%. A menor queda foi verificada nos trabalhadores domésticos, de 4,5%.

O rendimento médio em 2003 de um trabalhador com carteira foi de R$ 745,90. Os informais ganhavam R$ 404,50. Os militares e os funcionários públicos, R$ 1.210,90. Já os trabalhadores domésticos recebiam R$ 322,70.

A queda na renda pôde ser percebida também na disseminação do grupo de pessoas com renda inferior a meio salário mínimo. Na média brasileira, eles chegam a 10% da população ocupada. Os informais representam 30,4% desta categoria. Os militares e os funcionários públicos neste segmento chegam a 6,5%.

Em Alagoas, os empregados com carteira nessa faixa de renda chegam a 43,9%. Em São Paulo, esse percentual não ultrapassa 5%. O IBGE destaca que esse resultado confirma os motivos pelos quais São Paulo continua sendo a principal região receptora de movimentos migratórios.

Houve queda no número de trabalhadores com renda superior a cinco salários. No Brasil, este percentual ficou em 10,3%, uma queda de 1,1 ponto percentual em relação a 2002. No Sudeste, a queda foi ainda mais acentuada, de quase 2 pontos percentuais. O contingente de trabalhadores com melhor remuneração nesta região soma 13,7%.

O tipo de ocupação e as desigualdades regionais não são os únicos fatores que afetam o rendimento da população brasileira. A análise do rendimento-hora do trabalhador mostra que a desigualdade de gênero ainda persiste. Em 2003, a renda caiu 4,8% entre as mulheres e 2% entre os homens. Elas costumam receber por hora cerca de 83% do rendimento dos homens. O rendimento dos trabalhadores entre regiões, independente do sexo, apresenta disparidades ainda maiores. Um trabalhador do Nordeste recebe por hora 53% do rendimento auferido por um trabalhador do Sudeste.

Apesar da falta de melhoria na renda do trabalhador, 2003 foi um ano marcado pela maior absorção da indústria. A criação de vagas neste segmento é vista de forma positiva pela geração de empregos com carteira de trabalho assinada. Em 2003, a indústria reunia 14,4% da população ocupada. A liderança ainda pertence ao setor de serviços, com 33,6%.

Eu lembro de um momento, logo no início do governo, quando um alto companheiro meu, de uma função muito importante, veio prestar contas de como ele tinha encontrado a instituição em que ele estava trabalhando, e me permita aqui não dizer a instituição - disse Lula. - E ele me dizia simplesmente o seguinte: a nossa instituição está quebrada. Estamos falidos. O processo de corrupção que aconteceu antes de nós foi muito grande. Algumas privatizações que foram feitas em tais lugares levaram a instituição a uma quebradeira. Eu disse ao meu companheiro: olha, se tudo isso que você está me dizendo é verdade, você só tem o direito de dizer para mim.

O presidente continuou:

- Aí pra fora você fecha a boca e diga que a nossa instituição está preparada para ajudar no desenvolvimento do país. Ele não entendeu. E eu dizia: é isso mesmo. Porque se nós, com três dias de posse, três meses de posse, saímos pelo Brasil vendendo a idéia de que determinadas coisas importantes, em que a sociedade brasileira acredita, que determinadas instituições de que a república tanto necessita, como uma espécie de alavanca para o desenvolvimento, a gente sai dizendo que estão quebradas, eu me pergunto: que mensagem a gente vai passar para a sociedade, tanto a sociedade interna quanto a externa?

As an Indian living in the U.S. who has vistied Brazil this article interested me quite a bit. I do think Brazil should be compared to India and China as it is the regional economic power. Despite high levels of poverty, I think there is less inequality in India than Brazil. It appears that there are more elites in Brazil than in India, but a smaller middle class. Few people in India lead lavish North American/European lifestyles in terms of infrastructure/earning power compared to Brazil. There are few regions in India that don't suffer the consequences of extreme poverty , over-population and a lack of public infrastructure. Although I haven't visited southern Brazil, I have read that it is less affected by the economic and social malaise that affect other parts of the country.

In my opinion the real difference lies in income inequality, particularly in regards to land-ownership. Nearly half a billion Indians are rural farmers who live a subsistence lifestyle. Although their lifestyle is abjectly poor, most Indian farmers are self- sustaining and also own their meager plots of land. Problems of landlessness and the havoc it creates in rural societies are less visible in India than in Brazil. Assuredly there are large landowners in India, but fewer than the vast fazendas in rural Brazil.

The social problem of the caste system in India is similar to the social problems of the race/class system in Brazil. They affect urban and rural although the problems of caste inequality (in India at least) are more noticeable in rural areas. In Bombay and Delhi, people are a little too busy to give a damn.

Brazil is further industrialized in its urban infrastructure and manufacturing base than India. I am not sure about economic competition in Brazil, but India ignores many dictates of the WTO and has strongly nurtured domestic industry. This will hopefully result in a solid domestic market, once it fully opens its borders to international trade.

India does have a world-class educational system for the quarter of the population that can afford it. This is particularly true in science and technology. This is the second real difference between India and Brazil. India produces engineers and programmers that are sought by companies of the developed world. The benefits of this long-term investment are incalculable as they will allow greater infrastructure development within India. Brazil would be well served by making higher education more accessible to people beyond the elite. It would reduce the level of inequality in Brazilian society and alleviate many social problems.

On a personal note, I love the importance of family life in Brazil. Although we come from completely different cultural traditions, Indians are also very family affiliated. The difference is that Brazilians tend to be more informal and far more liberal in their social mores. India is a very traditional society and people are more conservative and clannish in their attitudes. I think Brazilians have the better end of the stick on this matter.

Yes, it a very interesting topic and a point to be noted. I am an Indian. It has been rightly said that India is very composed and content country with a huge investment been made in Education, Infrastructure & technology. You can find, in many trades and business India is becoming a world class and its capability has become a benchmark for other countries to understand & develop. I understand that Brazil is also fast catching up the economy and also emerging us a top leader within its region. Hope you would have recently gone through a BRIC report generated by Goldman Sachs, where Brazil is listed as one of the fast emerging super economy country. Be an technocrats and a businessman, I would suggest if any body interested in catching up to know the recent development in India in the field of Education, Technology & infrastructure. You contact Manoj at msn.cps@gmail.com.msn.cps@gmail.com

I am an Indian living in the US and followed the brain drain pattern. Here is my understanding of how India came to this point.

Indian leaders going back to British colonial days had a good understanding of why India became such a poor country during the British rule. Before 1700s, India was well off comparatively. Some estimates said Indian economy contributed around 25% to world economy at that time.

Two things happened in India during the 1700's. First, loss of political control. Second, loss of industrial base and economy. The loss of political control contributed significantly to the loss of economy. Indian's were treated as a captive market by the British and denied the freedom to re-invent themselves during the industrial revolution. Slowly their products became less competitive and income levels went down and poverty set-in. New technology was out of their reach and as second class citizens they had very little opportunity to re-invent themselves (as Japanese did during the same period).

During the independence struggle Indian leadership understood these things and resolved never to lag behind in technology. Just after re-gaining independence, Nehru worked hard towards creating a huge network of institutions (Universities, Research Institutes etc.) with emphasis on technology and science.

That emphasis on science and technology, along with democratic rule (which promoted some social mobility and meritocracy), a huge government bureaucracy that employed educated personnel, and lack of other economic opportunities for individual entrepreneurship (due to socialist policies) all contributed to a pursuit of higher education by the huge middle class population.

But, by the nineteen sixties, for most people, the opportunity of getting a job in the government has dried-up. Then, the unemployed and educated professionals started migrating to the west searching for opportunities. They became successful in the west and established themselves very well in their respective fields. This was a trend followed by most people educated in professional degrees like engineering and medicine. This migration still continues.

During the late eighties and especially after the liberalization of Indian economy (with Soviet Union's collapse), there started a dramatic change in Indian economy. People got more economic and entrepreneurial freedoms. Government had little control or oversight over information and computer technology businesses. Private educational institutions popped everywhere for people who could afford. Some small and medium sized landowners in some southern Indian states even sold away their lands to send their sons and daughters to get a good professional education so could go to ‘America’. And still many more thousands came to the US and other western countries for higher education. Many people called this a brain drain.

As distances shrunk (due to communication and internet revolution), this highly-educated population living abroad and people who stayed behind in India started collaborating, and things started changing dramatically in India itself. We are in the early stages of this phenomenon and we have to wait and see how this evolves.

But one thing to note is that India is still a very poor country with lot of poverty and illiteracy. But it has a huge young middle class which has tremendous self-confidence and believes it can achieve anything and can change India for better. That is a very good sign for India’s future.

"As distances shrunk (due to communication and internet revolution), this highly-educated population living abroad and people who stayed behind in India started collaborating, and things started changing dramatically in India itself." Thousands of Brazilians have also left Brazil in the last 20 years. They are also collaborating financially with Brazil's economy. They are also sending money back to their families,therefore pumping the country's internal consumer market. This issue gets very little attention in the press,most Brazilians don't really understand how one thing has to do with the other. Intellectual cooperation is also happening between those who stayed back and those who left. I still believe that the cast system in India is deplorable, even more than it is in Brazil. The fact that we Brazilians have to deal with the problems of 180 million people, supposed to a billion, should give us an advantage.

I'm from USA New York and I have been to like probably most of the countries in the world and I have been to brazil as well as India I have studied in an international school in Tanzania and I had classmates Indian and Brazilian and in my class there were 2 Indian students and 1 Brazilian student in the class the smartest kids were the ones from India everyone wanted to sit with them so that they can copy including the students of all the countries Indians were the smartest the brazillian girl was more included in style and fashion but was kinda dumb lol O e of the Indian student was a girl and one of them was boy and they were from the Indian embassy they Indian girl was always number 1 in math and science she always thought of new ideas and simpler than other and the Indian boy was always number 1 In humanities both of them were good in every subject but were number 1 in those on the other side the brazillian girl was good at nothing like other kids that includes me also Im also really dumb and I think that India comes in 3rd position than brazil in18th or something so yeah I think India are way smarter and progressed than brazil