Inclusion of beneficiaries of Brazil’s Continuous Cash Benefit Program in the National Council for Social Security’s collaborative process for setting payroll deduction loan interest rate ceilings

Abstract

Collaborative governance is directly associated with democratic legitimacy, as it encourages the participation and collaboration of the most diverse actors directly affected by public decisionmaking in the search for a solution to common interest issues. This technological article analyzes the deliberative process of the Brazilian National Social Security Council (CNPS), from the perspective of collaborative governance, regarding the definition of the interest rate ceiling applicable to payroll deduction loans for beneficiaries of the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC) Program as established by the Organic Law on Social Assistance (LOAS), considering that there are no representatives of its beneficiaries in the formal structure of the CNPS. Documentary research was carried out on the minutes, meeting agendas, and resolutions issued by the CNPS from January 2020 to August 2023. The findings reveal the absence of participation by BPC/LOAS representatives in all discussions regarding interest rates on payroll deduction loans despite the presence of other stakeholders as invited participants. Based on the literature on collaborative governance, proposals were put forward for improvement by changing the institutional design of the CNPS to enable the effective participation of BPC/LOAS representativesi. Additionally, we recommend that the CNPS reinforce incentives for collaboration and participation by all stakeholders. This article intends to offer practical contributions to minimizing the weaknesses of the CNPS participatory model and social contributions by encouraging the development of effective collaborative governance.