Deciphering the sphinx of subnational bureaucracy in Brazilian federalism: What is hiding behind this reality?

ABSTRACT

This article addresses the topic of Brazilian subnational bureaucracies and how studies in national literature have gradually expanded the analysis of their structure and functioning in states and municipalities. After a generation of studies on local power focused on analyzing democracy and participation, the understanding of subnational bureaucracies has gained relevance in the framework of decentralization of responsibilities to states and municipalities, which demands more bureaucratic capacity. This study also maps the debate on subnational bureaucracies in international and national literature. The reality of state and municipal public service in the context of decentralized federalism is also described in comparison with the central government to highlight its expansion and the effects it has on the public administration of these spheres of government. Finally, emerging themes are suggested in this incipient research agenda for quantitative studies and case studies.

Keywords:
subnational bureaucracy; public policy; public administration; local government; Brazilian federalism