Verdades econômicas (?): discursos jornalísticos sobre responsabilidade fiscal no Brasil

Abstract

This research investigated how “fiscal responsibility” is discursively constructed by the brazilian mainstream media, questioning why, despite divergences on numerous topics, mainstream media outlets tend to approach it from such similar perspectives. To examine this issue, the study adopted the theoretical framework of the Foucauldian Discourse Studies, which understands discourse as a practice that constructs knowledge, power, and truth. The corpus consists of three texts published in October 2023 by Folha de S. Paulo, Veja, and Valor Econômico, in response to President Lula’s statement regarding the zero fiscal deficit target. The analysis was conducted through three discursive regulatory principles: interdiction, the use of the market as a parameter, and the imminence of crisis as a demand for austerity. Hence, it was possible to observe that the Brazilian media is inserted in an associated field, which also includes the IMF, that produces discourses aligned with fiscal orthodoxy while excludes divergent perspectives.