ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the central research on the political history of social assistance in Brazil, summarizes key aspects of the implementation of the Bolsa Família program (BF), and describes popular perceptions of that program. It also addresses the scholarly debate regarding the electoral impact of the program. Imagining a program like BF became possible with the political shifts that occurred during the country’s democratic transition. After an initial period of rapid growth in the number of households covered, enrollments have now plateaued at around 14 million beneficiary households. Although Brazilians are largely supportive of the program, negative stereotypes of beneficiaries have arisen. Most studies have shown that BF shaped, at least through the 2010 election, the political choices made by beneficiaries. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings.
