ECONOMIC POLICY AND AGRICULTURAL POLICY: A SOCIAL-POLITICAL STRUGGLE FOR AN AUTONOMOUS AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Abstract

It is assumed that agricultural policy cannot be examined without considering its connections with macroeconomic policies and with the competition between social, agarian, industrial, commercial and financial forces for public funds. In this way, the form of multiple relations is described within which an attempt at formulation and implementation of an agricultural policy occurs. It is implied that the recent orientation of Brazilian agricultural policy should be considered as one more attempt in this direction. The hyppothesis stating that the deacceleration phase - a crisis in the national economy - is characterized by the difficulties of social forces and of state directors proposing and implanting (the "utopia" of) a new pattern of development, is confirmed.