■Brazilian Society and Culture
◆ Brazilian Diversity
◇Brazil is a mixture of races and ethnicities, which brings about rich diversity.
◇Many original Portuguese settlers got married with native women, which brought a new race into existence, called “mestizos”. “Mulattoes” are descendents of the Portuguese and African slaves.
◇Slavery was abolished in 1888, resulting in a further blurring of racial lines over time.
◇Unlike many other Latin American countries where there is a distinct Indian population, Brazilians have intermarried to the extent that it sometimes seems that almost everyone has a mixture of European, African and indigenous ancestry.
◆ Brazilian Family Values
◇The family is the basis of the social structure and forms the foundation of stability for most people.
◇Families are usually large (although family has become reduced in size in recent years) and the extended family is quite close.
◇The individual gets a social network and help in times of need from the family.
◇Nepotism is regarded as a positive thing, since it indicates that employing people one knows and trusts is of primary importance.
◆ The Brazilian Class System
◇In spite of the mixture of ethnicities, there is a class system in Brazil.
◇Few Brazilians could be regarded as racist, although social prejudice based upon skin color is very common.
◇In general, people with darker brown skin are at a disadvantage both economically and socially.
◇The middle and upper classes often have only little interaction with the lower classes—usually maids, drivers, etc.
◇Economic status and skin color determine class.
◇There is a great discrepancy in wage differentials—and therefore lifestyle and social ambitions—among the different classes.
◇Although women constitute 40% of the Brazilian workforce, they typically take lower paid jobs such as teaching, administrative support, and nursing.