Lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha, himself linked to a laundering scheme, revolts as the Brazilian president grapples with rising unemployment and inflation.

What are the paths a society can protect itself from the evils of corruption, social exclusion and institutional instability? Modern variants of geographical determinism, à la Montesquieu, would say that there is a boundary to this destination.

To Eduardo Marques, USP, challenge is to improve the quality of public services.