In this article we analyze decision-making processes within the Municipal Health Council (Conselho Municipal de Saúde de Curitiba, or CMSC) in the city of Curitiba, focusing on the distribution of political influence among its different segments. After exploring the analytical model founded on resource holding, we conclude that the distribution of political influence within the CMSC cannot be exclusively attributed to the differential possession of conventional resources. Thus, we propose a broader version of the model, including non-conventional resources. Furthermore, we suggest that the factors that make up the context in which the councils are situated contribute to the formation of different patterns of action and interaction and thereby help to explain why resources do not always translate immediately into political influence.
political participation; political influence; Curitiba Municipal Health Council; resources
