Artigo
Economic change and political shifts: the role of unions in Brazil’s deindustrialization era (2002-2022)
Fabiano Santos; Yago Paiva; Rafael Moura; Camila Vaz
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, v. 46, n. 3, p. 1–18, 2026
Resumo
ABSTRACT Studies increasingly demonstrate that deindustrialization impacts electoral performance, affecting left - and right - wing parties differently. However, there is limited analysis of the mechanisms linking deindustrialization to voting patterns. This paper tests the hypothesis that union weakening is a key mediating factor in this relationship. Analyzing Brazilian presidential elections (2002-2022), the study finds that municipalities experiencing both deindustrialization and union decline exhibit stronger effects of industrial loss on voting. The results suggest that the erosion of organized labor, driven by deindustrialization, is crucial to understanding current electoral dynamics, highlighting the importance of this mechanism in shaping political outcomes.
Como citar
SANTOS, Fabiano; PAIVA, Yago; MOURA, Rafael; VAZ, Camila. Economic change and political shifts: the role of unions in Brazil’s deindustrialization era (2002-2022). Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, v. 46, n. 3, p. 1-18, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/3086-44612026-3787.
ABNTABNT NBR 6023:2025 (3. ed.)
SANTOS, Fabiano; PAIVA, Yago; MOURA, Rafael; VAZ, Camila. Economic change and political shifts: the role of unions in Brazil’s deindustrialization era (2002-2022). Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, v. 46, n. 3, p. 1-18, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/3086-44612026-3787.APA 7
Santos, F., Paiva, Y., Moura, R., & Vaz, C. (2026). Economic change and political shifts: the role of unions in Brazil’s deindustrialization era (2002-2022). Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, 46(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1590/3086-44612026-3787BibTeX
@article{santos20260075,
title = {Economic change and political shifts: the role of unions in Brazil’s deindustrialization era (2002-2022)},
author = {Fabiano Santos and Yago Paiva and Rafael Moura and Camila Vaz},
year = {2026},
journal = {Brazilian Journal of Political Economy},
publisher = {FapUNIFESP (SciELO)},
volume = {46},
number = {3},
pages = {1-18},
doi = {10.1590/3086-44612026-3787},
language = {en},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1590/3086-44612026-3787}
}