Institutional Arrangements in the Implementation of Policies to Combat Poverty in Brasil

The democratization process has propelled important transformations in the relationship between the State and society during the past few years. Those changes in Brazilian society were responsible for alterations in public policies' institutional structures. This was a result of the demand and urge to face social problems. There is a movement leading to changes in the institutional arrangements. The management framework, which had a traditional, self-absorbed, hierarchic, sectorial and functional view, evolved into a much more modern one. The organizations are now adopting a more decentralized, cross-sectorial and participative model, focused on results. Considering that the relationship between the State and society is dictated by public policies, this turns out to be the space for innovation and experiments, always looking forward to quantitative and qualitative improvements. This essay analyses one of the most vital Brazilian public policies, named "Brasil Sem Miseria" (Brazil without Misery). The goal of this program is to increase the opportunities of those who are extremely poor, as well as to develop their skills up, by incrementing their income and welfare levels. Taking into account Brazil's continental proportions and the heterogeneity of its regions regarding culture, economy and weather, this public policy is extremely challenging. The program ought to adopt specific strategies to each region in order to fulfill their public needs all over the country. So, they created complex institutional models, coordinating actions with civil society, municipalities and states. This analysis verifies the institutional and management arrangements used during the implementation of this policy in the state of Sao Paulo. It also investigates the decentralization's conditions and the shapes that are included on the institutional framework.