CHALLENGES TO THE EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIETY IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND PUBLIC RESOURCES

Abstract

Social participation in public management constitutes an essential element for strengthening democracy and improving transparency in the administration of state resources. In the Brazilian context, especially after the promulgation of the 1988 Federal Constitution, several institutional mechanisms were created to expand civil society's participation in the formulation, implementation, and oversight of public policies. Among these instruments, participatory budgeting stands out, enabling the direct action of the population in defining priorities related to the allocation of public resources. This article aims to analyze the main challenges for the effectiveness of social participation in discussions regarding the budget and the management of public resources. The research was developed through a bibliographic review of studies on social participation, deliberative democracy, and participatory budgeting, highlighting Brazilian experiences such as those in Porto Alegre and Sobral. The results indicate that, although there are significant institutional advances in the creation of participatory mechanisms, structural obstacles still persist that limit the effectiveness of citizen participation, such as difficulties in accessing information, low social mobilization, institutional limitations, and dependence on the political will of public managers. It is concluded that the strengthening of social participation depends on the expansion of government transparency, the consolidation of participatory institutions, and the promotion of civic education processes that encourage civil society engagement in public decisions.