Currently the world’s seventh largest economy and South American’s first, Brazil is associated with strongly-developed agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and service sectors (WF). The rapid expansion of the middle-class has eased pervasive wealth gaps across the country, and with unemployment at all-time lows, more Brazilians are living comfortably and getting integrated into the labor market. However, with significant problems in major areas of its economy, Brazil is still considered a developing economy. By improving the quality of education, easing business start-up, making trade easier, changing the tax system, increasing public funding, and limiting government control, Brazil can further its economic growth in the long-run and eventually become a developed country. Brazil’s GDP per capita, which currently stands at $11,208, has gone down about $1,300 since 2011 (WB). GDP per capita growth in 2013 was 1.6%, a 1.4% increase from the previous year, and a decline of .2% from 2011 (WB). Inflation is relatively high, but due to increased government watch, it has not seen any dramatic increase in the past decade. In 2013, inflation was 6.2%, .4% lower than in 2004 and .8% higher than 2012 (WB). Unemployment has gone down recently, with a rate of 6.9% in 2012, 1% lower than 2010 and about 2.5% lower than 2005. Government corruption has proved to be a major problem in Brazil, with bribery and money laundering being accused in 25 politicians (econ: fruits). Doing business in Brazil is rather difficult, with a score of 116 in 2013, only a two point increase from the previous year. Brazil’s major trading partners are China, the United States, and Argentina, with China amounting for 17% of total exports and 15% of total imports. However, heavy trade restrictions and tariffs make it difficult for Brazilians to perform necessary international trade. The government’s intervention is overpowering in numerous economic sectors, and its involvement needs to be reduced in order for Brazil to have an independent, sustainable economy. Brazil’s poor quality of education is a fundamental issue that is holding back potential economic growth. Although quantitatively education has expanded across the country, qualitatively it has remained stagnant. According to the OECD PISA test results, Brazilian 15-year-olds trailed other countries’ peers in reading, mathematics and science scores (OECD art). Given that Brazil has been working to improve the availability of education, the low test scores are most likely a product of poor education quality. In order to combat this issue, Brazil nee