The democratization of media: the mother of all reforms.

(originally published in Major Card)

The biggest political dispute in Brazilian society occurs in the process of shaping public opinion. Currently, it takes place between the government and the private media – which has become the political opposition party.

Brazil returned to political democracy at the end of the dictatorship and has been undergoing a process of profound social democratization since the beginning of Lula's government. But this process has not reached the media, which remains controlled by the same monopolistic groups from the dictatorship era. And there will be no democracy in Brazil as long as there is no democratization of the media, as long as there is no democratic and pluralistic process for shaping public opinion.

If it weren't for this anti-democratic action by the private media, the electoral contest would have had an outcome openly favorable to the government, to the extent that the achievements of the PT's three terms far surpass those of the PSDB governments. But people decide based on the opinions they form, and the media influences, at least, large sectors of the middle class.

Brazil needs to break the hegemony of financial capital in the economic sphere by significantly lowering interest rates, instead of raising them, which attracts speculative capital and hinders economic growth. To achieve this, it also needs to establish a tax on the free circulation of financial capital.

It is essential to strengthen food self-sufficiency and small and medium-sized farms in rural areas, as they are the ones that produce food for the domestic market and generate jobs. 

Political reform is a condition that political representation is not directly determined by the power of money. 

However, none of these objectives can be achieved if we fail to win the hearts and minds of the people, if we fail to democratize the means of communication so that all points of view have space in a balanced way.

For example, in the debate about public campaign financing, we already know, from columnists in the mainstream media, that they will try to distort the debate with the question: do you want tax money to finance the campaigns of politicians and parties? 

Therefore, the democratization of the media is the mother of all reforms, because only through it is it possible to alter the struggle of ideas, to convince the majority of society that it is necessary to radically democratize our society, overcoming the preponderance of the power of money that exists today. The government has substantial popular support, especially for its social policies. But in order to achieve hegemony, it is essential to build it through conviction, persuasion, and the awareness of the people, which can only be achieved through spaces for the democratization of information and debate.