E239 - Lula and the Rise of the Workers’ Party in Brazil w/ Andre Pagliarini

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Danny and Derek welcome back historian Andre Pagliarini to discuss Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his political project, and its significance for Brazil’s democracy and labor movement. They explore the emergence of “new unionism” in the late 20th century and the founding of the Workers’ Party (PT); how a leader shaped by labor activism ended up governing through institutional politics; what Lula inherited from Brazil’s corporatist past; how he has navigated the constraints of global capital, inflation, and coalition politics; the gains and limits of his social programs; corruption scandals, Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment, and the Bolsonaro’s presidency; and Lula’s return to office and what his trajectory says about the possibilities of left governance.

Get a copy of Andre’s book Lula: A People's President and the Fight for Brazil's Future.