Desenvolvimentismo Incoerente? Comentários sobre o Projeto do Segundo Governo Vargas e as Idéias Econômicas de Horácio Lafer (1948-1952)

The paper studies the development strategy in Brazil along Vargas’ second term, focusing the interpretations which emphasize either the assumed incoherence of his cabinet, or its alleged economic orthodoxy, associated with Horacio Lafer’s term as Minister of Finance. The central argument is that Lafer’s role is not, at first, a sign of orthodoxy nor of development incoherence, as long as his ideas and actions were neither orthodox nor controlled all government economic bodies. After evaluating Lafer’s postures regarding Banco do Brasil credit policy (lead by Ricardo Jafet), the paper concludes with an evaluation of his ideas and actions related to fiscal and financial policies, consistently articulated to the economic development strategy of Vargas’s second term.