This article discusses affirmative action policies - notably quotas - as a current strategy of capitalism to pacify the working class in the struggle for expansion of social rights. It begins with the hypothesis that the lack of integration into society of historically exploited segments is a result of the "social question" and not of particular determinations. It therefore uses critical social theory to analyze the emergence and development of social policies in Brazil and understand in what way they were transformed under the aegis of the government of President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva. The system of ethnic and racial quotas for entrance into public higher education is contrasted here with the defense of public policies of a universal character. The article concludes that social policies focused on providing assistance are tools designed to eliminate the political struggle of workers and hide social expressions.
Social policies; Affirmative action; Quotas; Brazil