ABSTRACT
From 1974, the political process has been characterized by the dialectical relationship between the abertura directed by the government and the redemocratization demanded by civil society. Abertura is a process controlled by the military, giving in to the process of redemocratization, yet at the same time postponing it as long as possible in order to preserve military power. There is clear evidence that redemocratization was a victory of civil society, whereas abertura is an authoritarian strategy rather than the military's approach toward democracy, as they and their organic intellectuals would like to have believe. The hypothesis that the only alternatives available to a capitalist and industrialized society like Brazil are socialism and fascism no longer makes sense. Aside from the fact that it more explicitly took on the political values inherent in its class position, the Brazilian bourgeoisie finally attained ideological hegemony over society.
