Institutional Bypasses in Brazil: Overcoming Ex-Ante Resistance to Institutional Reforms

Abstract

A reform strategy that may help reformers to overcome resistance to institutional change is an ‘institutional bypass’. An institutional bypass does not try to modify, change or reform existing institutions. Instead, it creates a new pathway that aims to be more efficient and/or functional than the pre-existing institution. After discussing what characterises a bypass, this chapter turns to two examples from Brazil: a bureaucratic reform called Poupatempo, which is a one-stop shop for bureaucratic services; and a police reform called Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora. Drawing from these two Brazilian case studies, the paper discusses how bypasses may help overcome ex-ante resistance to reforms. It concludes by discussing whether these two reforms can be considered successful, and what could then characterise a successful bypass.