????近年來，巴西儼然已成為發展中國家的典范。它不斷壯大的中產階層已經轉化為更加強大的購買力。根據巴西公眾數據研究所(Instituto Datapopular )提供的數據，僅過去10年，巴西的中產階級人數就增加了3,500萬人。然而，它也讓巴西陷入債務陷阱，因為政府先是向窮人發放生活補貼，然后提供低息貸款，以鼓勵家庭購買汽車、電視和許多其他產品。

????社會和經濟的巨大變革對巴西的面貌產生了令人驚嘆的影響。20世紀50年代，85%的巴西人居住在農村。今天，大約85%的巴西人居住在城市。大量未接受過培訓和教育的巴西人找不到工作，陷入極度貧困的境地。根據聯合國國際農業發展基金會(International Fund for Agricultural Development)提供的數據，35%的巴西人每天的生活費不到兩美元。

????最近幾年，棚戶區的暴力事件呈加劇之勢，販毒分子的爭斗已經升級為戰爭。猖獗的暴力活動和不斷飆升的死亡人數迫使學校停課，商鋪關門。總部位于里約熱內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，暴力活動逍遙法外已經司空見慣，90%的兇殺案都沒有偵破。

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????為了迎接世界杯和奧運會，巴西政府已經在加速實施它所稱的平定行為，出動大量全副武裝的警察接管毒梟和犯罪團伙盤踞的地盤。

????除警察戰術之外，安德拉德認為，教育和職業培訓可以有效化解貧困和暴力現象。他計劃再派遣2,000名巴西人去美國社區學院學習采礦、土木建筑、能源和工程等專業。

????一心想攻占巴西消費市場的美國公司也把觸角伸進了巴西當地的社區。比如，可口可樂公司(Coca Cola)推出了一項名為“合作社”(Collectivo)的計劃。這項計劃面向高危青少年、失業男子和女企業家開設了許多課后和就業準備項目，正在巴西各地的貧民區產生積極影響。一些參加者在回收中心接受培訓，加工塑料，換取報酬，而這些塑料則將經當地婦女之手設計、制造成全新用途的商品在店鋪中銷售。合作社表示，這些女企業家的收入已經增加了50%。

????與此同時，巴西去年的研發開支增長了7%，超過了除中國外的所有國家（中國的研發投資增長了11%）。然而，巴西在經濟各個領域培養本土人才方面能夠取得多大的進步將最終決定這個國家能否實現其在本國和海外的雄心壯志。（財富中文網）

????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.