“Brazil is more unequal than people imagine. To understand inequality, you need to look at the rich. Of every $ 4, $ 1 is in the hands of 1% of the population.” These reflections and data are from sociologist and economist Marcelo Medeiros, a scholar of the Brazilian reality since the 1990s.
At the invitation of the program Samba wheelhe examined the problems of inequality in Brazil in the light of sambas signed by Dorival Caymmi, Elton Medeiros, Mauro Duarte, Paulinho da Viola, Wilson Baptista, among others. The program will air this Sunday (20) at noon by Rnational.
According to Medeiros, there are several types of inequality such as income, access to quality education, health care and even “in the way people are treated by the police.” He emphasizes that inequality weighs against black people and women, and therefore discussing racial issues or reproductive rights “is not ident.”
Amid the stories narrated in the sambas, the sociologist and economist opines that Brazil does not depend on robust economic growth to reduce hunger and poverty. “Just improve income distribution,” he says in Samba wheel.
The expert points out that initiatives such as changing taxation is requiredthat today with the load of regressive taxes burden the poorest and with exemptions and subsidies benefits the richest.
Marcelo Medeiros is a researcher at the Institute of Applied Economic Research (Ipea) and a visiting professor at Columbia University in New York. In 2023, he published the book The rich and the poor: Brazil and inequality (Company of the letters).
THE Samba wheel It is broadcast on a network in the eight broadcasters of Radio Nacional and will later be distributed in the National Public Communication Network (RNCP). The program is produced in partnership between Brazil agency and the National radioand brings weekly interview with singers, composers, writers, filmmakers and intellectuals about the universe and the imagination of samba.
Service:
Program Samba wheel
When: Every Sunday at noon
Where: On the National Radio of the Amazon (OC), from Brasilia (AM and FM), Recife (FM), Rio de Janeiro (FM), São Luís (FM), Sao Paulo (FM) and Alto Solimões (FM).
Visit the program page: https://radios.ebc.com.br/roda-de-samba
