Abstract

The end of the Cold War and the revolutionary transformation of the Second World have provoked a pessimistic wave about the destiny of the Third World, now called “South”. The death of the State Socialism does not necessarily determines a future of misfortunes to that group of countries, including Brazil. Some “South” countries will escape from an ob-scure destiny but others will not, depending upon the competence of their elites and of their political forces in order to define and implement a national development project. This article deals with the context in which Brazil and Latin America are after the Cold War.