Policy dismantling by capacity manipulation in a context of democratic backsliding: The bureaucracy in disarray in Bolsonaro’s Brazil

The policy dismantling framework was developed to account for processes involving the reduction or termination of existing policies, especially in so-called advanced democracies. However, is model proposed by scholars applicable contexts democratic backsliding such as Bolsonaro’s Brazil? Do those offer new elements their analytical model? This article addresses questions analyzing case Brazil under President Jair Bolsonaro. Departing from research on recently conducted and based data collected with federal civil servants 2019 2021, it will be argued that mechanics involve not only elimination past policies but also manipulation capacities. At individual capacity level, process has involved mistrust contempt career servants, fear, bureaucratic reshuffling, whereby bureaucrats were either removed original positions resorted exit fear persecution. intimidation disarrangement bureaucracy appears an integral part manipulation, shedding light into what looks like backsliding.