Popular Organization and Democracy in Rio De Janeiro: A Tale of Two Favelas

208 Pages·1993·8.581 MB·English

by  Robert Gay

Popular Ot;ganization
and Democracy
in Rio de Janeiro

POPULAR
ORGANIZATION
and
DEMOCRACY
in
RIO de JANEIRO
A Tale of Two Favelas
ROBERT GAY
Iiffiil Temple University Press
IMI
Philadelphia
Temple University Press, Philadelphia 19122
Copyright © 199+ by Temple University
Published 199+
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.+8-198+ 8
Parts of the present work appeared in significantly different form in "Popular
Organization and Democracy in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro," Review ofL atinAmeritan
Studies +(1-2) (1992), copyright © Pacific Coast Council on Latin American Studies,
used by arrangement with the publisher; "Community Organization and Clientelist
Politics in Contemporary Brazil: A Case Study from Suburban Rio de Janeiro,"
International Journal ofUrblln lind Regional Research 1+(1) (1990), copyright © Edward
Arnold, used by arrangement with the publisher; "Neighborhood Associations and
Political Change in Rio de Janeiro," LatinAmeritan Resear&h Review 25 (I) (1990),
copyright © Latin American Research Review, used by arrangement with the publisher;
and "Popular Incorporation and Prospects for Democracy: Some Implications of the
Brazilian Case," Theory lind Society 19 (3) (1990), copyright © Kluwer Academic
Publishers, used by arrangement with the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gay, Robert, 1958-
Popular organization and democracy in Rio de Janeiro: a tale of two favelas I
Robert Gay.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-56639-119-9 (alk. paper). - ISBN 1-56639-120-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
I. Slums-Political aspects-Brazil-Rio de Janeiro. 2. Squatter settlements
Political aspects-Brazil-Rio de Janeiro. 3. Vila Brasil (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
+. Vidigal (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 5. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)-Politics and government.
6. Neighborhood government-Brazil-Rio de Janeiro. I. Title.
HV+075·RHG39 199+
307·3'36+16'098IH-dc20 93-11105
For James, Valerie, Lindsey, andDevon

Contents
PHOTOGRAPHS Vttt
MAPs AND TABLES 'IX
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Xt
Introductwn I
Chapter One: The Politics of Urban Survival 14
Chapter Two: Raising the Stakes: Neighborhood Politics
in Vila Brasil 3S
Chapter Three: Reshaping Political Space: Neighborhood
Politics in Vidigal 61
Chapter Four: The Coming of Elections 101
Chapter Five: Turning Out the Vote 123
Concluswn 140
ApPENDIX: METHODOLOGY 147
NOTES ISS
BIBLIOGRAPHY 177
INDEX 187
Photographs
After page 46:
A rooftop view of Vila Brasil facing south
One of Vila Brasil's three main roads
The president of Vila Brasil outside the neighborhood association
A roadside bar in Vila Brasil
A typical alleyway in Vila Brasil
After page 84:
A typical alleyway in Vidigal
A view of Avenida Joao Goulart with Ipanema visible in the distance
A view ofVidigal facing southeast
One of the few wooden constructions remaining in Vidigal
Vidigal's cultural center
An example of "urbanized" sewage collection
A typical drainage and sewage ditch in Vidigal
The principal drainage and sewage:; ditch as it leaves Vidigal for the
ocean
Maps and Tables
MAPS
I. The Municipality of Rio de Janeiro with Inset of Brazil 9
2. The Favela of Vila Brasil 42
3. The Favela of Vidigal 66
TABLES
I. Favela Population Growth in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro,
1950-80 7
2. Favela Population of Rio de Janeiro by Region, 1980 8
3. Distribution of Favelas of Rio de Janeiro by Size, 1980 10
4. Distribution of Favelas of Rio de Janeiro by Year of
Occupation, 1981 II
5. Favela Population of Zona Oeste and Bangu, 1980 36
6. Favelas of Zona Oeste and Bangu by Population
Size, 1980 37
7. Length of Residence and Highest Year of Schooling of the Adult
Population of Vila Brasil, 1986 43
8. Favela Population of Zona SuI and Lagoa, 1980 62
9. Favelas of Zona Sul and Lagoa by Population Size, 1980 63