Antônio Delfim Netto (; 1 May 1928 – 12 August 2024) was a Brazilian economist, academic, and politician who was the

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

Agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

, and

Planning Planning is the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Planning is based on foresight, the fundamental capacity for mental time travel. Some researchers regard the evolution of forethought - the cap ...

, as well as a

congressman A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...

. During his incumbency as Minister of Finance of Brazil, the country experienced the so-called

Economic Miracle Economic miracle is an informal economic term for a period of dramatic economic development that is entirely unexpected or unexpectedly strong. Economic miracles have occurred in the recent histories of a number of countries, often those undergoi ...

, a time of unprecedented economic growth. The Milagre Econômico overseen by Delfim Netto relied on a

heterodox In religion, heterodoxy (from Ancient Greek: , + , ) means "any opinions or doctrines at variance with an official or orthodox position". ''Heterodoxy'' is also an ecclesiastical jargon term, defined in various ways by different religions and ...

, developmentalist model. The economic expansion relied on low wages, rapidly rising exports, and foreign capital inflows. Delfim Netto gave another added meaning to the phrase "

cake theory Cake theory () is a metaphor about economic development and the redistribution of wealth in the political discourse of China. It emerged in 2010 as problems with an increased wealth gap became gradually more apparent. If economic development is ...

" in reference to this model: the cake had to grow before it could be distributed. Although the "cake" in his metaphor did grow, it was highly unequally distributed. Delfim Netto died in São Paulo on 12 August 2024, at the age of 96.

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1928 births 2024 deaths Brazilian economists University of São Paulo alumni Democratic Social Party politicians Reform Progressive Party politicians Progressistas politicians Brazilian Democratic Movement politicians Ministers of finance of Brazil Government ministers of Brazil Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil) from São Paulo Ambassadors of Brazil to France Agriculture ministers of Brazil {{Brazil-economist-stub