SUPERENDIVIDAMENTO E TRANSFORMAÇÕES SOCIOECONÔMICAS

DESAFIOS REGULATÓRIOS NA PROTEÇÃO DO CONSUMIDOR NA ERA DO CRÉDITO FACILITADO

Abstract

This article addresses potential regulatory challenges for consumer protection in the era of easy credit. As is well known, Brazil has undergone intense socioeconomic transformations, especially with regard to expanding access to credit and banking services for significant portions of the population. The rise of consumption as a vector for social inclusion and economic mobility has promoted the consolidation of a model of society centered on the logic of easy credit and the expansion of consumer relations. However, this situation becomes even more complex when one considers that one of the most serious consequences of this phenomenon is over-indebtedness. From this perspective, the article aims to assess the possible impacts of socioeconomic transformations on the expansion of consumer credit and to investigate the regulatory challenges faced by the Brazilian legal system in protecting against over-indebtedness, with a focus on the effectiveness of standards aimed at preserving human dignity and the minimum existence in the era of easy credit. The specific objective of this study is to examine the main socioeconomic transformations that contributed to the expansion of access to credit in Brazil, analyzing how these changes impacted consumer behavior and influenced the growth of over-indebtedness rates among the population, with a special study on the concept of over-indebtedness, as well as seeking to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures provided for in Law No. 14,181/2021 in tackling over-indebtedness, with an emphasis on individual accountability as a strategy to make the social structure invisible. Methodologically, the study is based on exploratory research using a bibliographic survey, as well as scientific articles, doctrines, and normative provisions. It is noteworthy that the hypothesis tested is that the insufficiency of effective regulatory mechanisms and the fragility of financial education policies contributed to the worsening of over-indebtedness in Brazil.