Abstract

The article discusses the politics of telecommunications’ privatization policies in Brazil. It argues that its features result from a thoroughly negotiated reform process, explained either by the institutional setting defining a particular veto points structure and by the predominant conceptions, among members of governing coalition, about the proper economic role of the State. In the first part, telecommunications sector’s conditions previous to privatization, the privatization policy and its results are rapidly presented. ln the second part, the ideas about the economic role of the state underlying the debate about privatization of State-owned enterprises are summarized. ln the third part, it discusses the political process through which the privatization of telecommunications came true, stressing the role of institutions and relevant actors.

JEL Classification: K23; L33; L96.