Hi Alvaro! Thanks for your feedback. I have worked with a number of Brazilians. Great people.

I have pondered Brazil on many occasions. I thought with Lula Brazil was down a positive path but it didn’t rally last it seems.

I have tried reading about South American history and what strikes me most is the deep political instability. All the factions, military takeovers etc.

But it seems to reflect the predictions Adam Smith made about South America in 1776. He remarked that Spain and Portugal gave South America this tradition of rule by men rather than rule by law. Like you would get all these strongmen who saw themselves as above the law.

Spain and Portugal themselves are among the last to pull themselves out of dictatorship in Europe. But now they have progressed a lot.

I think the history of colonialism probably makes all problems in Brazil amplified. In Norway we are just a lot more lucky with our history.

But I do think if Brazil managed to build up trust between people, it would be on the right path. I noticed from Brazilian friends that they often have very low regards for Brazilians as a people. That made me sad. I think one has to have more faith in your own people. I like to think people are products of their environment and circumstances. Change the environment they are in and you will be able to see the better side of everyone. I don’t think Norway could have succeeded without people having trust in other people even your political opponents.

Our conservatives e.g. have accepted a lot of what social democrats have done. But it has also been partly because social democrats have listened to conservative complaints and suggestions.

Ironically the war helped. Being together fighting the Germans made the left and right see each other better as allies.

Key political leaders from the left and right often ended up in prison or in resistance forces together. It gave them a chance to get to know each other and see that people on opposite side of the political spectrum can be good people as well.