Manda Bala

1. The situation in Brazil is exactly that of Karl Marx’s theory of The Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat (money and power). Marx examined class conflict within an economic context, between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, and predicted that the exploration of the working class would lead to a conflict between the classes. Where a person fits in these groups defines his or her social status, and therefore his or her opportunities within the society. The bourgeoisie are the higher class people, members of the property owning class; people who own the means of production. People that can be related to this class of people from the movie would be like Jader and Mr. M. Marx believed that the bourgeoisie exploited the working class and oppressed tem through the mechanism of capitalism; an economic system where the means of production is privately owned and profit is earned in competitive conditions. Marx argued that social institutions like governments or legal systems are tools used by the ruling class to keep the subject class under control while members of the higher class further their personal agendas between the proletariats; the poorest class of people, the lower working class who sell their skills for money.

2. Achieved status is defined as a social position attained by a person largely through his or her own effort; I can relate this to the situation in brazil because many of those from the higher class have gotten themselves to that position by creating an industry that has been very popular. A prime example of this would be the bulletproofing of cars industry. Those from the lower class, the kidnappers, can be describes as having ascribed status. while they may have many positive talents and characteristics that make up their personality, thats often over looked due to the social status they possess. The situation in brazil represents that of a closed system because it is very difficult to go from the lower class into the higher class by legal means.