E4 · cycle-003.e4-bra

Brazil, scripted, 30 years from 1996

30 simulations of 30 rounds from the 1996 position. Brazil decides by the scripted method; scripted events: Global funding seizure in year 3, Core disaster in year 5, Global funding seizure in year 12, Severe pandemic in year 24.

Model 0.2.0 · graph 0.2.0 · parameters 0.1.1 · seeds 1–30 · elasticity sampled within each bracket

The same configuration in other cycles: cycle 2.

Every simulation · Compare with another experiment · More experiments like this

Not a forecast
Simulations of a structural model with seed parameter values, to compare methods and test the model. Other nations stay at their 2026 ratings throughout.

Outcome across simulations

The median at 2026, with the 10th to the 90th percentile of the 30 simulations under it.

Capability index
11.55 (+0.13)
From 11.43; 11.54 to 11.56
Rank by index
31
From 34; 31 to 31
Domains at Tier 1
2
From 0; 2 to 3
Tier rank
11
From 22; 5 to 11

Capability index by round

Rank by index, by round

Every objective at the position and at the horizon
Objective199610th percentileMedian90th percentileBetter
Capability indexprimary11.4311.5411.5511.56higher
Rank by index34313131lower
Tier rank2251111lower
Domains at Tier 10223higher
Score sum824.8838.6839.6840.1higher
Goal-weighted score824.8838.6839.6840.1higher
Resilient score824.8839.5 (mean score sum over the simulations)higher

The capability index is the mean of the three dimensions, each the mean of its domains, each the mean of its groups. Tiers are Pareto layers within each domain; the tier rank orders nations by domains held at Tier 1, then Tier 2, and so on. The goal-weighted score is the score sum unless the experiment sets a goal. The primary objective is the one the experiment is judged on; every other objective is reported beside it.

Credits

What each round’s credits went on in the median simulation. Across all simulations, build took 75 per cent, buy took 19 per cent, partner took 6 per cent of the 2,029 credits a simulation spent on actions.

Against history

Started from a reconstructed 1996 position and played along the pathway and shocks Brazil actually had, then scored against the 2026 ratings. The position is an estimate, so part of any error is the reconstruction's. The calibration summary across all fifty nations is on the cycle's page under Loop.

Index 1996
11.43
reconstructed
Observed 2026
11.69
the Index's rating
Simulated 2026
11.55
11.49 to 11.61
Skill against persistence
−1.06
group error 1.88 against 0.91 if nothing changed
Domain1996ObservedSimulatedBiasDirection
Critical Technology9.548.959.16 9.1–9.2+0.21right
Strategic Infrastructure13.3113.8015.05 15.0–15.1+1.25right
National Security9.359.429.02 9.0–9.0−0.40wrong
Human Capital10.9811.8812.75 12.6–12.9+0.87right
Information & Influence11.8511.8611.75 11.7–11.8−0.12right
Governance & Integrity10.9512.1110.74 10.7–10.8−1.37wrong
Financial Strength12.7213.1212.42 12.4–12.5−0.70wrong
Production & Innovation12.0011.8812.32 12.2–12.4+0.44wrong
Trade & Investment12.1512.1810.74 10.7–10.8−1.44wrong

The history it was played under: shocks and events

  • 1999 · S02 × 0.8 Brazil's crawling peg collapsed after Russia's default, forcing the real to float and an IMF programme.
  • 2001 · S07 × 0.4 A severe drought drained hydro reservoirs, causing electricity rationing and slowing industry.
  • 2008 · S02 × 0.5 The global financial crisis hit Brazil through the trade and credit channels, but the banking system proved resilient.
  • 2020 · S10 × 1.2 COVID-19 hit Brazil exceptionally hard; the federal response was chaotic and the death toll among the world's highest.

The pathway: what it prioritised, period by period

  • 1997–2002 · buy · 5% each Cardoso used the Real Plan's credibility to privatise telecoms, mining and energy while building fiscal and regulatory institutions. (Monetary & Currency Capability, Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance, Regulatory Governance & Strategic Controls, Communications & Digital Infrastructure, Business Dynamism & Entrepreneurship)
  • 2003–2010 · build · 5% each Lula's administrations combined Bolsa Familia transfers with PAC infrastructure spending and expanded credit while projecting Brazil as a global-south leader. (Foundational Education, Population Health, Transport Infrastructure, Energy Infrastructure, Diplomatic Statecraft & Global Networks)
  • 2011–2016 · build · 5% each Dilma's neo-developmental state prioritised pre-salt oil, local content, and technical education, but fiscal and political strains mounted. (Resource Infrastructure, Energy Technologies, Advanced Education, Technical & Vocational Skills, Industrial & Sectoral Base)
  • 2017–2018 · build · 2% each Temer pushed fiscal responsibility, labour reform and administrative modernisation to restore credibility amid recession. (Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance, Labour & Employment, Government Effectiveness & Public Administration, Transparency, Oversight & Accountability)
  • 2019–2022 · partner · 2% each Bolsonaro pursued agri-export expansion, digital government and infrastructure concessions through private partnerships while the pandemic disrupted delivery. (Agriculture & Food Infrastructure, Communications & Digital Infrastructure, Digital & AI Competence, Technology Adoption & Diffusion, Trade Facilitation & Logistics)
  • 2023–2026 · build · 5% each Lula's second government restarted industrial policy, clean energy investment and the PAC while expanding early childhood and social programmes. (Industrial & Sectoral Base, Energy Technologies, Energy Infrastructure, Early Childhood Development, Transport Infrastructure)

Reconstruction notes (deepseek-v4-pro): The main uncertainty is the granular scoring for 1996, especially in hard critical technologies and national security, where Brazil's capabilities were uneven and comparative data are patchy. Event mapping compresses complex political-economic crises into the nearest library analogues, losing some specificity. Confidence is generally medium, but for critical technology it is low because frontier capabilities were hard to assess reliably against world leaders.

Report

Written from the simulation record by the loop's narrator. Every figure names the query it came from, in square brackets.

Batch cycle-003. Model 0.2.0, graph 0.2.0, parameters 0.1.1. 30 simulations, seeds 1 to 30; probes on 10. Every figure is a distribution over simulations of a structural model with seed parameter values; it shows what the model implies under these settings, not what will happen. Other nations are frozen at their 2026 ratings. No reconstructed historical data is used in this experiment.

Headline

Brazil played 30 rounds from 1996 under the scripted method, with scripted events, 30 times. Its capability index moved from 11.43 to a median of 11.55 (+0.13), with 90 per cent of simulations between 11.54 and 11.56 [experiment_objectives].

Starting position

In 1996 the nation ranks 34 on the index against the frozen field, holds 0 of nine domains at Tier 1 and has a tier rank of 22. Its base income is 425 credits a year, calibrated so that its 2026 position is affordable with headroom for investment.

What was decided

A simulation spent a median of 2,030 credits on moves. The five groups that took most were Energy Infrastructure (build, 183 credits, 9.0 per cent); Foundational Education (build, 175 credits, 8.6 per cent); Transport Infrastructure (build, 175 credits, 8.6 per cent); Population Health (build, 175 credits, 8.6 per cent); Diplomatic Statecraft & Global Networks (build, 158 credits, 7.8 per cent) [experiment_decisions_by_group]. By mode: build 75 per cent, buy 19 per cent, partner 6 per cent [experiment_decisions_by_group]. Concentration of spending (HHI) had a median of 0.070, and the most repeated action appeared in 30 per cent of rounds.

The leading domain by period: rounds 1 to 5, Financial Strength; rounds 6 to 10, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 11 to 15, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 16 to 20, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 21 to 25, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 26 to 30, Production & Innovation [experiment_spend_by_period].

What the world did

A median simulation saw 4 shocks and 0 upside events. The most damaging per firing were S10 (30 firings in 30 simulations, −36.9 points each); S02 (60 firings in 30 simulations, −14.1 points each); S07 (30 firings in 30 simulations, −11.7 points each) [experiment_shocks].

The groups that lost most to shocks, per simulation: Trade Facilitation & Logistics −2.57; Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance −2.41; Labour & Employment −2.38; Investment Attraction & Projection −2.27 [experiment_shock_damage_by_group].

The edges that carried most change through the graph, per simulation: Foundational Education to Advanced Education (+1.19 points); Transport Infrastructure to Trade Facilitation & Logistics (+0.84 points); Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance to Social Infrastructure (+0.39 points) [experiment_propagation_by_edge].

Where it ended

At 2026 the median rank is 31 (5th to 95th percentile 31 to 31), the median count of Tier 1 domains 2 (2 to 3) and the median tier rank 11; the resilient score, the mean score sum over simulations, is 839 [experiment_objectives].

Tier 1 probability changed most in: human capital (0 to 100 per cent of simulations); information and influence (0 to 37 per cent of simulations); strategic infrastructure (0 to 100 per cent of simulations) [experiment_tiers_by_round].

Why

Without shocks the index ends +1.045 higher on average, so the shocks cost about 1.045 index points [experiment_probe_attribution].

Holding instead of following this method changes the index by −1.567: that is the method's worth against doing nothing [experiment_probe_attribution].

Removing any single one of the five largest actions changes the index by between −0.002 and +0.037, for example 2006 build Foundational Education (22 credits) [experiment_probe_attribution]. The largest actions by credits come late, when income is highest, and are rarely the most valuable.

Removing the largest shock of a simulation raises the index by +0.465 on average [experiment_probe_attribution].

The replay probe reproduces the simulations exactly (index change 0.000000), so the attributions are clean [experiment_probe_attribution].

Surprises

tier_jump (warn): largest gain in one domain within five years: 6 tiers (30 simulations above 2); tiers are reported, not an objective.

retired_words (warn): e4-bra/report.md: 'simulations' 1 time(s), first near line 39; use 'simulations'.

The simulation furthest from the median (seed 18) ends −0.02 from it, with 4 shocks and 0 upside events [experiment_outlier_simulations].

Comparison

This is the baseline (hold) experiment, or there is none for this nation in the batch.

Against history: from a reconstructed index of 11.43 the model ends at 11.55, where the 2026 ratings put it at 11.69. Group scores miss by 1.88 points on average, against 0.91 for assuming nothing changed (skill −1.06); the change in each domain has the right sign in 44 per cent of domains. Furthest below history: trade and investment (−1.44); furthest above: strategic infrastructure (+1.25) [experiment_against_history]. The starting position is reconstructed, so part of the error is the reconstruction's.

What each decision and shock was worth

Counterfactual probes on the first 10 seeds: the same simulations with one thing changed, paired seed by seed. A removed decision or shock is taken out and the other decisions replayed unchanged, so the difference is that item's worth.

ProbeIndexScore sumTier 1For example
Hold instead of the method−1.567−113.9−2.30
No shocks+1.045+70.9+1.20
Replay of the recorded actions (must change nothing)0.0000.00.00
Without the 1st largest decision+0.018+1.4+0.302006 build Foundational Education (22 credits)
Without the 2nd largest decision−0.002−0.2+0.302006 build Population Health (22 credits)
Without the 3rd largest decision−0.002−0.3+0.302006 build Transport Infrastructure (22 credits)
Without the 4th largest decision+0.033+2.5+0.302006 build Energy Infrastructure (22 credits)
Without the 5th largest decision+0.037+3.1−0.302006 build Diplomatic Statecraft & Global Networks (22 credits)
Without the 1st largest shock+0.465+32.4+0.702020 S10 (-37.0 points)
Without the 2nd largest shock+0.306+20.3−0.301999 S02 (-17.7 points)
Without the 3rd largest shock+0.170+11.9−0.302001 S07 (-11.7 points)

Simulations

Three simulations told round by round, each on its own page: the one nearest the median index at the horizon, and those nearest the 10th and the 90th percentile. Every one of the 30 is listed with its outcome on the simulations page.

All 30 simulations

Events

How often each shock and upside event began across the simulations. Shocks come from the ten downside scenarios and upside events from the ten upside ones, at their yearly likelihood.

Event
Kind
Simulations
Mean round
Points
Global funding seizure S02Shock100 per cent7.5−14.1
Core disaster S07Shock100 per cent5.0−11.7
Severe pandemic S10Shock100 per cent24.0−36.9

Groups across simulations

Every capability group: its position, and its median and spread at the horizon across the simulations, with what the method spent on it.

73 of 73 groups

Capability group
Domain
1996
2026
Change
Levels invested
Credits
Foundational EducationHuman Capital11.1819.39 19.38 to 19.41+8.219.33175
Population HealthHuman Capital11.3518.14 18.10 to 18.18+6.797.86175
Communications & Digital InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.6018.83 18.79 to 18.91+6.236.93158
Transport InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.2417.16 17.12 to 17.21+5.926.57175
Business Dynamism & EntrepreneurshipProduction & Innovation10.2515.50 15.42 to 15.56+5.256.71128
Energy InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure13.5018.72 18.68 to 18.77+5.225.78184
Diplomatic Statecraft & Global NetworksInformation & Influence14.5218.97 18.93 to 19.05+4.455.43158
Regulatory Governance & Strategic ControlsGovernance & Integrity10.9315.12 15.12 to 15.13+4.195.03128
Energy TechnologiesCritical Technology12.3715.99 15.86 to 16.13+3.624.35133
Resource InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure14.8417.93 17.86 to 18.01+3.093.88129
Monetary & Currency CapabilityFinancial Strength13.9317.00 16.93 to 17.04+3.074.68128
Fiscal Capacity & Public FinanceFinancial Strength11.7214.03 13.99 to 14.07+2.314.93146
Advanced EducationHuman Capital11.3613.61 13.36 to 13.94+2.251.6923
Industrial & Sectoral BaseProduction & Innovation14.3216.38 16.27 to 16.47+2.063.1784
Digital & AI CompetenceHuman Capital10.4711.92 11.83 to 12.09+1.451.2017
Technology Adoption & DiffusionProduction & Innovation12.4512.84 12.71 to 12.98+0.391.2417
Agriculture & Food InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure15.9716.27 16.25 to 16.31+0.301.1935
Force Generation & MobilisationNational Security12.8512.82 12.73 to 12.91−0.030.000
Nuclear DeterrenceNational Security0.930.88 0.88 to 0.88−0.050.000
Trade Facilitation & LogisticsTrade & Investment11.4511.29 11.11 to 11.48−0.161.6017
Joint Command, Projection & SustainmentNational Security10.5610.37 10.30 to 10.44−0.190.000
Early Childhood DevelopmentHuman Capital11.0010.80 10.61 to 10.99−0.200.000
Technical & Vocational SkillsHuman Capital10.059.84 9.63 to 9.97−0.210.000
Research Talent & Knowledge CreationHuman Capital11.5611.24 11.15 to 11.32−0.320.000
Strategic Strike & Missile DefenceNational Security6.416.06 6.04 to 6.08−0.350.000
Advanced ManufacturingStrategic Infrastructure14.2813.92 13.76 to 14.08−0.360.000
Space OperationsNational Security6.736.33 6.30 to 6.35−0.400.000
Political Institutions & Civic ParticipationGovernance & Integrity13.3512.91 12.83 to 13.03−0.440.000
Maritime PowerNational Security12.4612.02 12.01 to 12.03−0.440.000
Land PowerNational Security12.4311.98 11.96 to 11.99−0.450.000
Quantum TechnologiesCritical Technology4.704.24 4.23 to 4.25−0.460.000
Intelligence & AssessmentNational Security10.6110.13 10.11 to 10.15−0.480.000
Cyber & Electromagnetic OperationsNational Security9.909.42 9.40 to 9.44−0.480.000
Air PowerNational Security10.6410.15 10.13 to 10.16−0.490.000
Space, Aerospace & Defence InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.3111.75 11.67 to 11.80−0.560.000
Semiconductors & Advanced ComputingCritical Technology6.535.94 5.93 to 5.97−0.590.000
Artificial IntelligenceCritical Technology8.367.72 7.66 to 7.79−0.640.000
Alliances & Security CooperationInformation & Influence11.0710.37 10.27 to 10.44−0.700.000
Lifelong Learning & ReskillingHuman Capital9.769.02 9.01 to 9.03−0.740.000
Financial InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure15.9115.16 15.07 to 15.28−0.750.000
Internal Security & OrderGovernance & Integrity9.308.55 8.53 to 8.57−0.750.000
Transparency, Oversight & AccountabilityGovernance & Integrity11.2310.48 10.48 to 10.49−0.750.000
Justice System & Fundamental RightsGovernance & Integrity10.069.30 9.30 to 9.31−0.760.000
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust TechnologiesCritical Technology10.199.42 9.37 to 9.48−0.770.000
Public Integrity & Anti-CorruptionGovernance & Integrity9.078.30 8.28 to 8.32−0.770.000
Space TechnologiesCritical Technology8.307.52 7.51 to 7.53−0.780.000
Water, Sanitation & Waste InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure10.369.55 9.49 to 9.61−0.810.000
Robotics & Autonomous SystemsCritical Technology8.237.42 7.40 to 7.44−0.810.000
Culture, Language & Education DiplomacyInformation & Influence12.7011.88 11.80 to 11.95−0.820.000
Social InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.0711.23 11.09 to 11.28−0.840.000
Advanced Materials & ManufacturingCritical Technology12.7711.90 11.88 to 11.93−0.870.000
Development Cooperation & Global AssistanceInformation & Influence9.508.57 8.54 to 8.62−0.930.000
Diaspora & Global CommunitiesInformation & Influence10.219.24 9.23 to 9.26−0.970.000
Sensing, Timing & NavigationCritical Technology10.989.99 9.97 to 10.02−0.990.000
Trade Policy & Market AccessTrade & Investment13.1712.06 11.92 to 12.17−1.110.000
Digital & Services TradeTrade & Investment10.809.64 9.50 to 9.79−1.160.000
Government Effectiveness & Public AdministrationGovernance & Integrity12.7611.56 11.49 to 11.66−1.200.153
National Resilience & Crisis ManagementGovernance & Integrity10.939.72 9.68 to 9.76−1.210.000
Health System CapabilityHuman Capital12.0610.82 10.73 to 10.90−1.240.000
Innovation & CommercialisationProduction & Innovation10.979.73 9.67 to 9.78−1.240.000
Labour & EmploymentProduction & Innovation9.928.67 8.62 to 8.71−1.251.1017
Sovereign Capital & External Financial PowerFinancial Strength9.928.51 8.47 to 8.54−1.410.000
Economic Output & ProductivityProduction & Innovation12.9211.48 11.35 to 11.61−1.440.000
Structural Transformation & ComplexityProduction & Innovation13.1511.67 11.62 to 11.70−1.480.000
Biotechnology & Health TechnologiesCritical Technology12.9511.44 11.42 to 11.46−1.510.000
Financial Regulation & IntegrityFinancial Strength14.0112.43 12.36 to 12.55−1.580.000
Information Environment & Strategic CommunicationInformation & Influence13.1111.47 11.45 to 11.48−1.640.000
Global Value Chain PositionTrade & Investment13.2811.64 11.63 to 11.66−1.640.000
Economic Leverage & DependenceTrade & Investment12.2410.54 10.50 to 10.59−1.700.000
Export Capability & SophisticationTrade & Investment11.649.90 9.87 to 9.92−1.740.000
Financial Stability & Crisis ManagementFinancial Strength12.4910.44 10.40 to 10.48−2.050.000
Financial System Depth & AccessFinancial Strength14.2712.12 12.11 to 12.13−2.150.000
Investment Attraction & ProjectionTrade & Investment12.4410.12 10.09 to 10.16−2.320.000

Checks

The automated checks run on this experiment before anything was written about it. A warning is a candidate finding for the improvement loop.

  • passcredits_conservedlargest gap between credits in and credits accounted for: 4.3e-14
  • passscores_in_boundsscores range 0.877 to 20.000
  • passno_nans0 missing values in the trajectory and objectives
  • passprobe_replay_reproducesthe recorded moves played back reproduce the simulation to within 0.0e+00 points (10 simulations)
  • passledger_balancesthe edge ledger sums to the propagated change to within 1.0e-06 points
  • passmove_without_shocklargest one-year move in a group with no shock landing: 1.33 points; 0% of simulations have one above 3
  • warntier_jumplargest gain in one domain within five years: 6 tiers (30 simulations above 2); tiers are reported, not an objective
  • passall_tier1_from_outside_top10starting rank 34; 0 simulations reach Tier 1 in all nine domains
  • passsaturation_high0% of simulations end with a group at 20 that did not start there (median 0 groups)
  • passsaturation_low0% of simulations end with a group at 0 that did not start there (median 0 groups)
  • passspend_concentrationmedian concentration of spending across groups (HHI) 0.070; most funded group hard.strategic_infrastructure.energy_infrastructure
  • passsame_actionthe most repeated move (group and mode) appears in a median 30% of rounds
  • passregression_index_p50index_p50 moved 2.0% since cycle-002 (11.78 to 11.55); versions changed (0.1.0 to 0.1.1, graph 0.2.0 to 0.2.0)
  • passregression_score_sum_p50score_sum_p50 moved 2.1% since cycle-002 (857.46 to 839.57); versions changed (0.1.0 to 0.1.1, graph 0.2.0 to 0.2.0)

Settings and versions

Experiment cycle-003.e4-bra. Every simulation records the model, graph and parameter versions, the scenario, the method and its seed, so it can be reproduced exactly.

Nation
Brazil (BRA)
Position
A reconstructed 1996 position, aligned to the Index's scale
Method
Scripted. Actions fixed in advance by the experiment: for a backcast, the nation's historical pathway.
Scenario
Scripted events: Global funding seizure in year 3, Core disaster in year 5, Global funding seizure in year 12, Severe pandemic in year 24
Objective
Capability index, the primary objective the experiment is judged on; every other objective is reported beside it
Horizon
30 rounds, 1996 to 2026
Simulations
30 seeds, 1 to 30. Every method in the batch faces the same draws for the same seed.
Graph elasticities
Drawn for each simulation, uniformly within each edge’s bracket
Income
Base credits 425.2 a round, moving with the economic groups
Versions
Model 0.2.0, Capability Dependency Graph 0.2.0, parameters 0.1.1
Batch
Backcast 1996-2026 (cycle-003), cycle 3 of the improvement loop
Runtime
7.0 seconds in all; 1614 microseconds a round
Not a forecast
Every figure is a distribution over the simulations of a structural model, reported to compare methods and test the model. None is a prediction of what a nation will do or become.
Structural parameters
Costs, decay, vulnerability and credits are structural seed values with low or medium confidence, set by domain with single-group exceptions. Five groups have no defensible value in a single-nation model and are flagged in the parameter tables.
Other nations are frozen
One nation is simulated at a time. Every other nation stays at its 2026 rating, so rank and tiers are measured against a still field; where the simulated nation rises past others their own tiers are not re-sorted.
Starting depth and mode are defaults
The position is the National Capability Index ratings. How institutionalised each capability is, and how much was built, bought or partnered, have no data behind them yet and start from structural defaults.
Credits are calibrated, not measured
Each nation’s income is set so that its position is affordable with headroom that rises with its fiscal capacity. It is not yet fiscal capacity as a share of GDP.