Economic Law and Educational Planning in Brazil: From the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Model to Neoliberal Reform

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/sociojuridicos/a.16135

Article Sidebar

PDF (Español (España))

Published: Jul 7, 2026
Issue: Vol. 28 No. 2 (2026)
Section Papers


Keywords: Latin American structuralism Integrated planning National Education Plan

Main Article Content

Authors

  Prof. Dr. Fábio Mascarenhas
Universidade Católica de Santos
  Prof. Dr. Daniel Menezes
Centro Universitário FACAMP
  Elaine Barbosa
Universidade Católica de Santos

Abstract

This article aims to evaluate, from an economic law perspective, the contrast between the integrated planning model proposed by the Three-Year Plan (1963-1965), instituted in Brazil based on Latin American structuralism inspired by eclac, and the model established by the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, which is linked to short- and medium-term budget plans suitable for the countercyclical proposal of the neoliberal model, specifically in terms of its impact on Brazilian educational policy. This research is qualitative and exploratory, relying primarily on a literature review. The study examines how the shift from the eclac planning format to the neoliberal one reverberated in the legal-economic discipline of educational planning. The hypothesis is that this change limited state investment in education, reducing educational planning to the dynamics of short- and medium-term budgeting. The article concludes that replacing a Latin American model of educational planning with a neoliberal framework—in terms of integrated planning—has subordinated long-term educational plans to short term budgetary instruments and fiscal constraints, despite significant resistance from funding policies.

Author Biographies

Prof. Dr. Fábio Mascarenhas, Universidade Católica de Santos

Permanent Professor of the Stricto Sensu Graduate Program (Master's and Doctorate) in Education at the Catholic University of Santos. Head of the Legislative Center of the Santo André City Council. Doctorate and Master's in Law with distinction (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of São Paulo Law School (FD-USP).

Prof. Dr. Daniel Menezes, Centro Universitário FACAMP

Professor of Law and International Relations and Coordinator of the Master's Program in Law, Business, and Contemporary Society at FACAMP (Faculdades de Campinas). Postdoctoral degree in Law (USP). Postdoctoral degree in Economics (UNESP). Doctorate and Master's degree in Political and Economic Law (Mackenzie University). Member of CIRIEC-Colombia.

Elaine Barbosa, Universidade Católica de Santos image/svg+xml

Master's student in Education in the Stricto Sensu Graduate Program at the Catholic University of Santos. Specialist in Bilingual/Multilingual Teaching Methodologies and Practices from the Singularidades Institute. Graduated in Portuguese/English Language and Literature from the Catholic University of Santos and in Education from Santa Cecília University.

How to Cite
Sampaio Mascarenhas, F., Nagao Menezes, D. F., & Barbosa, E. (2026). Economic Law and Educational Planning in Brazil: From the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Model to Neoliberal Reform. Estudios Socio-Jurídicos, 28(2), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/sociojuridicos/a.16135
References

Abreu, A. (2011) JK's Brazil: ISEB and development. CPDOC-FGV. http://cpdoc.fgv.br/producao/dossies/JK/artigos/Economia/ISEB.

Almeida, J. G., & Belluzzo, L. G. (2002) After the fall: the Brazilian economy from the debt crisis to the impasse of the real. Civilização Brasileira.

Azanha, J. M. P. (1993) Política e planos de educação no Brasil: alguns pontos para reflexão. Cadernos de Pesquisa, 85, 70-78.

Becker, G. S. (1993) Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Bercovici, G. (2005) Economic constitution and development: a reading based on the 1988 Constitution. Malheiros.

Bercovici, G., & Massonetto, L. F. (2007) The inverted governing Constitution: The shielding of the financial Constitution and the agony of the economic Constitution. Revista de Direito Mercantil Industrial, Econômico e Financeiro, 45, 79-89. https://digitalis-dsp.uc.pt/jspui/bitstream/10316.2/24845/1/BoletimXLIX_Artigo2.pdf

Bercovici, G. (2009) The still indispensable economic law. In M. V. M. Benevides, G. Bercovici, & C. de Melo (Eds.), Human Rights, Democracy, and Republic: tribute to Fábio Konder Comparato. Quartier Latin.

Bercovici, G. (2010) The Brazilian state's role in the economic domain. In E. C. Pinto, J. C. Cardoso Jr., & P. de T. Linhares (Eds.), State, Institutions, and Democracy: development. (Vol 3). Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA).

Bercovici, G. (2014) Basic reforms and overcoming underdevelopment. Revista de Estudios Brasileños, 1(1), 97-112. https://gredos.usal.es/bitstream/handle/10366/125658/REB_2014_vol1_num1_97~112.pdf;jsessionid=129ACAC8D20D539D758FF1A01D949301?sequence=1

Bercovici, G. (2015) State, planning, and public law in contemporary Brazil. In J. C. Cardoso Jr & E. A. Vilela dos Santos. (Eds.), PPA 2012-2015: Institutional Experimentalism and Bureaucratic Resistance. (pp. 19-36) IPEA.

Bercovici, G., & Costa, J. A. F. (2021). Nationalization: Needs and possibilities. Contracorrente.

Brazil. (1962) Three-year plan for economic and social development (1963-1965) – Summary. Presidency of the Republic.

Brazil. (1963) Three-year education plan. Ministry of Education and Culture.

Brazil. (1965) Inter-American conferences on education. MEC/INEP.

Bresser-Pereira, L. C. (2002) State reform for citizenship: Brazilian management reform from an international perspective (Reprint) Editora 34; ENAP.

Campos, R. A. (2021) Economic planning and education: an analysis of the relationship between state agencies during the Brazilian corporate-military dictatorship. Scielo Preprints, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.3042

Comparato, F. K. (1978) The indispensable economic law. In F. K. Comparato, Studies and opinions on commercial law. Forense.

Couto, C. G., & Abrucio, F. (2003) The second FHC administration: coalitions, agendas, and institutions. Tempo social, 15(2), 269-301. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-20702003000200011

Freire, P. (1967) Education as the practice of freedom. Paz e Terra.

Furtado, C. (1954/2003). La economia colonial brasileña. Universidad de la Ciudad de México.

Furtado, C. (1959) Economic formation of Brazil. Nacional.

Furtado, C. (1972) The hegemony of the United States and the underdevelopment of Latin America. (3rd ed.). Civilização Brasileira.

Furtado, C. (1974) The myth of economic development. (3rd ed.). Paz e Terra.

Furtado, C. (1977) Preface to the new political economy. (3rd ed.). Paz e Terra.

Furtado. C. (1978) Creativity and dependence in industrial civilization. Paz e Terra.

Furtado. C. (1993) Los vientos del cambio. Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Furtado, C. (1999) The long dawn: Reflections on the formation of Brazil. Paz e Terra.

Furtado, C. (2009) Development and underdevelopment. Contraponto; Celso Furtado International Center for Development Policies.

Furtado, C. (2014) Autobiographical work. (1st ed.) Companhia das Letras.

Grau, E. (2015) The economic order in the 1988 Constitution (17th ed.). Malheiros.

Kruppa, S. (2016) Sociology of education (2nd ed.). Cortez.

Lafer, C. (1970) Planning in Brazil: observations on the target plan (1956-1961). In B. M. Lafer (ed.), Planning in Brazil. Perspectiva.

Macedo, R. (2003) Three-year plan for economic and social development (1963-1965). In B. Mindlin (ed.). Planning in Brazil (5th ed.) Perspectiva.

Mascarenhas, F. S. (2023) State, educational planning, and development in Brazil: Contributions to an economic right to education. (Doctoral Thesis). University of São Paulo.

Mascarenhas, F. S., & Menezes, D. F. N. (2020) Financialization, accumulation by dispossession, and social and regional inequalities: the concentration of BNDES investments during the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration (1995-2002). Fundamental Rights & Justice, 14, 455-484.

Mello, J. C. (1975) Transportation planning. McGrawHill do Brasil.

Mincer, J. (1958) Investment in human capital and personal income distribution. Journal of Political Economy, 66(4), 281-302. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1827422

Paulani, L. M. (2017) There is no way out without reversing financialization. Advanced Studies, 31(89), 29-35. 10.1590/s0103-40142017.31890004

Santos, L. de A. (2019) The alternative for progress: developmental nationalism, its intellectuals, and educational planning in the 1960s in Brazil. Revista Brasileira de História da Educação, 19(57), 1-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.4025/rbhe.v192019.e057

Schultz, T. W. (1973) Human capital: Investments in education and research. (M. A. de M. Matos, Trans) Zahar Editores.

Souza, N. M. (1994) Administrative reform in Brazil: an endless debate. Revista de Administração Pública, 28(1), 54-70.

Souza, W. P. A. de. (2005) First lines of economic law. LTr.

Teixeira, A. (1962) National education plan. Regarding national funds for primary, secondary, and higher education. Documenta, 8, 24–31.

Teixeira, A. (1963) National education plan. CAPES Newsletter, 123, 1-3.

Query Statistics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Publcation metrics

0




 

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The opinions included in the articles are of the authors alone, and under no circumstance do they represent the views of the Editorial Council or Universidad del Rosario. Reproduction of all or part of other articles is allowed as long as the source is cited. This magazine provides free immediate access to its contents under the principle that making research available to the public at no charge promotes sharing of global knowledge.