In order to begin to engage in a more critical analysis of why favelas specifically (besides location) were so vulnerable to exploitation and displacement measures, it is first necessary to understand their background. Favelas are urban ‘shanty-towns’ which were established after Brazil’s abolishment of slavery in 1888. Favelas developed due to Brazil’s inequitable racial disparities which prevented former Afro-Brazilian slaves, access to property rights and civil liberties. As a result, these informal communities situated near urban centers developed and would greatly expand in size and population over the years.Today's modern growth of the favelas is attributed to the influx of migrants from the poorer rural areas of Brazil seeking improved
