Public Policy Management Councils: Relationship Between State and Civil Society in the Local Context

Abstract

The decentralizing proviso in the 1988 Federal Constitution boosted social participation, which was made possible by, among other tools, the management councils of public policies. They stand out because they allow for public management shared between public power and civil society at a local level, in most Brazilian cities and in several areas of collective interest. It is assumed that health councils, social care and guardianship are crucial to protect citizen rights. Moreover, their integrated analysis is relevant in municipalities that have been studied for revealing councils as an important instrument and growing participation in the local context. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between civil society and State with a view to social promotion in Viçosa, in the State of Minas Gerais. Methodologically, it has adopted a qualitative approach, with primary data collection, through interviews with members of the council mentioned above, and secondary ones, from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). From document and content analysis, the results showed that the municipality has followed the dynamics of citizen participation, given the number of active councils and the various challenges related to the effectiveness of those elucidated in the literature. Conflicts between representatives of the government and society's dependence on municipal infrastructure and the lack of recognition of the advice from the government and society itself were the difficulties identified. However, if was confirmed that the legitimacy of social management is an ongoing process and that citizens, following council action, must be active participants in this still consolidating movement.