????近年來，巴西儼然已成為發(fā)展中國家的典范。它不斷壯大的中產(chǎn)階層已經(jīng)轉(zhuǎn)化為更加強(qiáng)大的購買力。根據(jù)巴西公眾數(shù)據(jù)研究所(Instituto Datapopular )提供的數(shù)據(jù)，僅過去10年，巴西的中產(chǎn)階級人數(shù)就增加了3,500萬人。然而，它也讓巴西陷入債務(wù)陷阱，因?yàn)檎仁窍蚋F人發(fā)放生活補(bǔ)貼，然后提供低息貸款，以鼓勵(lì)家庭購買汽車、電視和許多其他產(chǎn)品。

????社會(huì)和經(jīng)濟(jì)的巨大變革對巴西的面貌產(chǎn)生了令人驚嘆的影響。20世紀(jì)50年代，85%的巴西人居住在農(nóng)村。今天，大約85%的巴西人居住在城市。大量未接受過培訓(xùn)和教育的巴西人找不到工作，陷入極度貧困的境地。根據(jù)聯(lián)合國國際農(nóng)業(yè)發(fā)展基金會(huì)(International Fund for Agricultural Development)提供的數(shù)據(jù)，35%的巴西人每天的生活費(fèi)不到兩美元。

????最近幾年，棚戶區(qū)的暴力事件呈加劇之勢，販毒分子的爭斗已經(jīng)升級為戰(zhàn)爭。猖獗的暴力活動(dòng)和不斷飆升的死亡人數(shù)迫使學(xué)校停課，商鋪關(guān)門。總部位于里約熱內(nèi)盧的巴西拉丁美洲研究中心(Brazilian Center for Latin American Studies)聲稱，巴西是全球第七大暴力問題最嚴(yán)重的國家；梅洛所在的巴西北部城市薩爾瓦多高居榜首。在這座城市，暴力活動(dòng)逍遙法外已經(jīng)司空見慣，90%的兇殺案都沒有偵破。

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????為了迎接世界杯和奧運(yùn)會(huì)，巴西政府已經(jīng)在加速實(shí)施它所稱的平定行為，出動(dòng)大量全副武裝的警察接管毒梟和犯罪團(tuán)伙盤踞的地盤。

????除警察戰(zhàn)術(shù)之外，安德拉德認(rèn)為，教育和職業(yè)培訓(xùn)可以有效化解貧困和暴力現(xiàn)象。他計(jì)劃再派遣2,000名巴西人去美國社區(qū)學(xué)院學(xué)習(xí)采礦、土木建筑、能源和工程等專業(yè)。

????一心想攻占巴西消費(fèi)市場的美國公司也把觸角伸進(jìn)了巴西當(dāng)?shù)氐纳鐓^(qū)。比如，可口可樂公司(Coca Cola)推出了一項(xiàng)名為“合作社”(Collectivo)的計(jì)劃。這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃面向高危青少年、失業(yè)男子和女企業(yè)家開設(shè)了許多課后和就業(yè)準(zhǔn)備項(xiàng)目，正在巴西各地的貧民區(qū)產(chǎn)生積極影響。一些參加者在回收中心接受培訓(xùn)，加工塑料，換取報(bào)酬，而這些塑料則將經(jīng)當(dāng)?shù)貗D女之手設(shè)計(jì)、制造成全新用途的商品在店鋪中銷售。合作社表示，這些女企業(yè)家的收入已經(jīng)增加了50%。

????與此同時(shí)，巴西去年的研發(fā)開支增長了7%，超過了除中國外的所有國家（中國的研發(fā)投資增長了11%）。然而，巴西在經(jīng)濟(jì)各個(gè)領(lǐng)域培養(yǎng)本土人才方面能夠取得多大的進(jìn)步將最終決定這個(gè)國家能否實(shí)現(xiàn)其在本國和海外的雄心壯志。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：葉寒

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????In recent years, Brazil became the poster-child for developing nations. Its expanding middle class -- which added 35 million people to its ranks in the past decade alone, according to Brazil's Instituto Datapopular -- has translated into greater purchasing power. But it has also led to a debt trap, as the government handed out cost of living subsidies to the poor and then offered low-interest loans to encourage families to buy cars, televisions, and a host of other products.

????The socio-economic transformation has had a breathtaking impact on Brazil's landscape. In the 1950s, Brazil was 85% rural. Today, it is roughly 85% urban. The untrained and uneducated face joblessness and crushing poverty, with 35% of Brazilians living on less than two dollars a day according to the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development.

????Favelas have seen an escalation of violence in recent years that drug lord combatants have elevated to war. Rampant violence and soaring death tolls have forced schools to close and shops to shutter. The Rio-based Brazilian Center for Latin American Studies claims Brazil is the seventh most violent country in the world; Melo's northern city of Salvador tops the list, where impunity is the norm and 90% of homicides go unresolved.

????In anticipation of the World Cup and the Olympics, Brazil's government has accelerated what it calls pacification, driving drug lords and gangs from their turf and installing a well-armed police presence in their stead.

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????Police tactics aside, Andrade argues that education and job training can serve as a powerful antidote to poverty and violence. He plans to send 2,000 more Brazilians to American community colleges to study disciplines like mining, civil construction, energy, and engineering.

????U.S.-based corporations intent on penetrating Brazil's consumer market have also extended their reach into communities, with initiatives like Coca Cola's (KO) Collectivo. Targeting at-risk youth, jobless men, and women entrepreneurs, Collectivo is making its mark on favelas across Brazil with after-school and job readiness programs that lead to job placements. Participants work at recycling centers that train and pay them to process plastics for repurposed products that women design, make, and sell in stores. Collectivo says these women entrepreneurs have increased their earnings by 50%.

????Meanwhile, Brazil's spending on research and technology grew by 7% last year, outpacing every other country except China, where investments climbed by 11%. But, ultimately, the progress Brazil makes in cultivating homegrown talent across the economic spectrum will determine its ability to realize its ambitions, at home and abroad.