Questões de política e questões de princípio: o direito à moradia e à participação popular na política de urbanização do Aglomerado da Serra em Belo Horizonte

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between matters of politics and matters of principle, departing from the case study of the Cardoso Avenue, in Serra slum complex, in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, built under social housing and urbanization public policy named “Vila Viva” Program. By adopting the theory of Ronald Dworkin and analysis of primary and secondary data collected, it is asked whether slum upgrading policies should be thought exclusively in terms of political arguments - that refer to objectives adopted by political decisions -, or, on the contrary, these policies involve fundamental rights of the affected residents and, accordingly, should also be thought in terms of arguments of principle. The study concluded that public policy of slum upgrading involves special circumstances related to fundamental rights of slum householders - notably the rights to housing and popular participation, and extensively, the right to the city - and this type of policy, thus, should be thought and implemented in terms of principles.