Public spaces, participation and clientelism: a case study about the participative budget in Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro.

Abstract

The object of this article is to analyze the challenges of public spaces in Brazilian political culture. To do so, it presents a case study about the participatory budget process in the municipality of Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro. The text is divided in three sections. The first is dedicated to the challenges of the participatory budget experiences in the Brazilian political culture, while the second analyzes the process in Barra Mansa. Finally, it presents the conflicts generated between the municipal legislature and the implementation of participatory spaces. In the segment, some of the political effects found are reported including: the resistance of city councilmen to the PB, which creates tension with the supporters of the political culture that support this process; the loss of political power of city council representatives, who feel harmed, threatened and a loss of prestige in relation to the executive branch; and the political dispute between city council representatives and representatives of civil society given that the PB allows the formation of new local leaders.