Even a brief visit to cities in Brazil can be jolting for people like us at KCRW whose work is centered on American cities. In the world’s fifth most populous nation with its third largest city (Sao Paolo), Brazilian cities are setting the pace for change never experienced in the U.S. And with significant untapped natural and human resources on hand there’s little urgency for them to take stock of the potential legacy of that change.

But Francisco Lobato is trying. Leading a team of talented consultants, he is trying to help leaders of the industrial city of Betim, home to the largest Fiat plant in South America, confront the limits and costs of rapid growth as well as the moral responsibilities of educating and providing for huge numbers of poor residents, most of whom are not employed in the growing factories.

Lobato wanted to begin the economic strategic planning, funded by the city and the World Bank, by learning lessons from other cities and this is where Chattanooga’s story came into play. Chattanooga paid a heavy price in job loss, air pollution, stagnant economic growth and civic dispiritedness due to its failure to anticipate and prepare for global economic change and quality of life demands in the 1960’s and 70’s. Betim wanted to learn how Chattanooga turned that situation around, particularly how it engaged citizens to participate in making a new future for the city. Invited by consultant team member Rodolpho Ramina, off I go to Brazil. I learned at least as much from them as they from me.

The pace of urbanization in Brazil is akin to that of China but it’s been going on longer. It threatens to defy the country’s ability to address the resulting staggering poverty and infrastructure challenges. Google “favella” to get a sense of this phenomenon. The entire recent issue of the Harvard Design Magazine is about these "non-formal cities," primarily in Latin and South America. In less than 40 years Betim has grown from 70,000 to half a million people…and is still growing.

Yet, there is an infectious sense of risk taking and optimism in Brazil, even in the face of the challenges. Brazil has experimented since the early 1800’s with almost every kind of government known, with the long term result of increasing democracy, economic justice and incorporation of new populations. Brazil abolished slavery (big business there because of the sugar cane industry) a few years after the U.S. without the bloodshed we experienced.

Like any complex place there are contradictions, such as continued destruction of the Amazon basin, yet the highest per capita use of hybrid fuel vehicles in the world. All gas stations have two pumps, one for gasoline and one for ethanol, and my friend Rodolpho’s car uses both. Even so, one can see that Brazilians are working out their challenges with deliberation, entrepreneurship, concern for fairness and justice, and good humor. This phenomenon of optimism and confidence on the part of nations such as Brazil is the subject of a new book, The Post American World, by Fareed Zakaria.  He points out that the U.S. must get used to a world that is writing its own narrative not driven by U.S. leadership and example. I saw this happening in Brazil, and there is a lesson in that for the rest of us.

Consultant team and city officials. Ramina on far right, Lobato second from right

New Betim City Hall renovation nearing completion in former tile factory