State, market and forms of privatization: an influence of think tanks on brazilian educational policy

Abstract

There is, especially in the 21st century, a proliferation of think tanks that operate as producers and influencers of market ideas, advocating the reduction of state interventionism in decision making. This study aims to discuss the influence they have exerted on educational policies in order to broaden and intensify the penetration of market interests in the educational area. To achieve this purpose, a discussion is held on the forms of privatization that have brought the logic of the market into educational policies. An overview is given of the distribution of organizations in the world, with characteristics of their funders and supporters. Finally, the principles that guide the actions of two think tanks are presented, one American and two Brazilian, which focus on educational issues. This study has shown that the interests of capital, represented by organizations funded by large corporations (which are able to gain entrance into the press, governments, universities, social media and the cultural industry) are intended to clearly determine the State a private perspective in the definition and design of educational policies.