Inflation, GDP, participation in world trade, number of political parties and other information that shaped Brazil from 1985 to 2025
O Poder360 publishes this Saturday (15.mar.2025) several reports on how the development of Brazil was in the 40 years of uninterrupted democracy, completed on this date. The 21-year period of the military dictatorship (1964-1985) ended the inauguration of José Sarney as president, exactly 40 years ago.
Next, read the relevant indicators that show that the Brazilian economy was less successful than the consolidation of democratic instruments. The index with all reports can be found at the end of the text.
Brazil was able to overcome the high inflation that the 1st civil government inherited in 1985. The process took 9 years and successive economic plans. There were 6 in the governments of Sarney and Collor. Everyone failed. Only with the Real Plan, in 1994, during the government of (1930-2011), without party at the time, it was possible.
In 40 years of democracy, Brazil has seen the size of its GDP to be overtaken and distance itself from other emerging ones, such as China and India, which have already been considered third world countries.
Brazil’s nominal GDP was $ 769 billion in 1995, higher than China’s ($ 735 billion). It was the last time the Brazilian economy was ahead of the Chinese in nominal terms.
The advances of the social area are visible. But in economics GDP growth was frustrating, especially when compared to those of other emerging. In the last 4 decades, the country has been behind compared to China, India and South Korea.
Industry participation in Brazilian GDP retreated 23.3 percentage points from 1985 to 2024. The weight of the sector in the country’s economy was from 48% to 24.7% in the period. For Rafael Lucchesi, director of industrial development at CNI (National Confederation of Industry), the country went through a “Desindustrialization Process” from the 1980s.
Brazil intensified the sale of state -owned companies after redemocratization. The PND (National Program of Privatization) was implemented under Fernando Collor’s government. The measure followed a global trend of the 1990s, which advocated economic openness and macroeconomic adjustment of developing countries.
Brazil’s road infrastructure had a shy advance in 40 years of democratic regime. The country reached 66,520 km of federal highways paved by 2024 compared to 46,455 km registered in 1985. The increase in the period was 43.2%. The expansion during the 21 years of the military dictatorship (1964-1985) had much larger growth of 282.1%.
Social indicators of Brazil advanced in 40 years of democracy in Brazil from 1985 to 2025, although economic growth was low in the period. There was a drop in income inequality and increased life expectancy. The concentration of income fell from 1981 to 2022 according to. Brazil went from 57.9 to 52 in the period.
O Poder360 Prepared a special series of reports on the 40 years of democracy in Brazil. Read below:
Read the special series interviews:
