The new rights on the streets? Analysing the gap between protesters and leaders in 2015 antigovernment protests

Abstract

This paper is the result of a field research during the demonstrations in São Paulo for the impeachment of president Dilma Rousseff in April 12 and August 16, 2015. By applying surveys, we seek to question the common sense around these protests which simplifies the complexity of this social phenomenon. Our main hypotheses are: 1) discontent and distrust of protesters are not restricted to the Workers Party (PT), but extends to the political system as a whole, 2) although the groups that summon the demonstrations have a liberal and privatizing ideology, protesters do not share this opinion, supporting that the State must provide public education, public health and public transportation.