ABSTRACT
The concept of participatory institutions emerged so that a very specific situation could be dealt with analytically: the institutional arrangement emerging from the 1988 Constitution. Key changes introduced by that document included a significant increase in forms of participation; in fact, participation is present in eight articles. Social participation assumed a common meaning, that is, as a new decision-making process linking members of civil society associations and social movements with elected representatives. The expansion of social participation in Brazil during the 1990s was mainly a local phenomenon, one taking place only in cities and involving the emergence of participatory budgeting and city councils. Lula’s inauguration in 2003 was a key to the shift in Brazil’s participatory policies. In his first month in office, Lula charged the general secretary of the presidency with coordinating relations with civil society actors. In addition, new national councils were introduced in areas of social and public policies. During Lula’s first term, the number of national councils increased from 15 to 31. At the level of national conferences, social participation acquired a new role in the federal government, constituting a participatory establishment of a joint agenda between government and civil society. The conferences necessarily involve participation at the three levels of the federation. From 2003 to 2013, 103 national conferences took place, with more than 6 million participants. These conferences affect specific public policies, and each produces an official document. Those conferences closely integrated with participatory policies, such as social assistance, health, education, and policies for women and urban areas, achieved approval by congress and city councils as well as bureaucratic implementation.
