Brazil Author:Riordan Roett Brazil, occupying nearly 50 percent of the South American continent, has the largest economy and is a major political power in Latin America. It is rapidly increasing its involvement in world affairs. In the fourth edition of his successful text, Roett examines the basics beneath the patrimonial society that exemplifies Brazil's economic and pol... more »itical system. By exploring the concept of elite rule, the maintenance of a state bureaucracy at the service of the elites, and the persistence of the gap between the standards of living of the richest and poorest Brazilians, Roett provides a framework with which the consistent and surprisingly predictable development of Brazil can be examined.« less