ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the values and attitudes of the Brazilian elites and explores the possible consequences that these may have on democratic consolidation. Insofar as politics and policies involve some margin of choice and deliberation, there is no doubt but that the cognitive and normative perceptions of those who make decisions will to some extent contribute to forming reality. The chapter presents data about members of the Brazilian elites' values and opinions concerning democracy, poverty, social inequality, and related issues. The riddle of how the elites may respond to pressures for change can be approached from different angles and using different tools of socio-political analysis, insofar as the actual behavior of the elites depends upon different factors, such as institutional arrangements, economic interests, and strategic calculations.
