The Elite's Values and Opinions: Notes on Patterns of Support for Social Policies

To investigate the extent of support for or opposition to various social policies, interview data were obtained from Brazilian legislators, public administrators, labor leaders, & executives (N = 320) in 1993/94. Respondents were asked to categorize the following policies according to their viability & desirability: free health care; unemployment insurance; basic education; retirement benefits tied to length of service; minimum income; free university education; food distribution; universal retirement; & public housing. Four political orientations could be distinguished: (1) social democratic; (2) corporativist; (3) liberal; & (4) compensatory. Additional factors included: ideology; emphasis on hierarchy; elitism; respect for the law; technocracy; & propensity for conflict. 4 Tables, 1 Appendix, 4 References. Adapted from the source document.