ABSTRACT
Why are some countries rich and others poor? Researchers have identified many possible causes, among them demographics (a quickly growing population without enough resources), geography (poor soil, few mineral resources, climate), and both economic factors (limited capital, inequitable income distribution) and social factors (lack of entrepreneurship, illiteracy, ineffective education and public health systems). Though all these and many others offer valuable insights, they are not always enough. Recently, cultural explanations have helped to fill the gap. In Underdevelopment Is a State of Mind: The Latin American Case, Lawrence Harrison defines culture as “values and attitudes that a society inculcates into its members through various social mechanisms such as family, school, and the church.” 1 I take this as my starting point, as I briefly examine the Brazilian case, emphasizing two fundamental institutions: the state and the Catholic Church.
