One reason for goldplated government jobs was a program five decades ago to lure qualified Brazilians from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the arid savanna of the new capital, Brasilia. This exacerbated fierce distortions in the economy: Brazilians pay unusually high taxes to finance a bloated state sector that provides poor public services. The private sector also has been stifled.
“We’ve built up a state apparatus we cannot afford,” said Gil Castello Branco, head of Contas Abertas, a watchdog of government spending. After the announcement of Brazil’s junk credit rating, there were early reports that the government is considering freezing public servants’ pay.
For now, judges and legislators can earn as much as 30 times the average private sector salary, plus perks.
Brazil employs fewer civil servants per capita than the U.S., France or Germany. But it has far fewer resources, so less money goes to public services, said David Fleischer, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Brasilia.
Brazil Energy Insight 
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