MARKET TOTALITARIANISM AND NEOLIBERAL RATIONALITY IN BRAZILIAN EDUCATION

Abstract

In this essay, we approach the subject of education and chose the Brazilian educational reforms of the last three decades as object of investigation to understand the foundations and intentionality that direct them. The question that guided our analysis was: How could we interpret the recent educational reforms from the concepts of market totalitarianism, neoliberal rationality and state of exception? Concepts referenced in Dardot and Laval, Benjamin, and Agamben. We aimed at characterizing the market totalitarianism and to show how this economic-political form affects public services and the functioning of the State itself; and to interpret some of the recent Brazilian educational reforms, referenced by the concept of neoliberal rationality. As a result, we argue that educational reforms actually approach business logic, and what presents itself as a progress leads to regression; therefore, to the economic and cultural exclusion of all society.