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The article provides an explanation for the enormous variation in party discipline during the Brazilian democratic experience from 1946 to 1964. The argument is that party discipline is a function of the Presidents’ strategies in forging coalitions in Congress. One of the main consequences of such strategies was the creation of two factions within parties, one for and the other against the President. The premise is that the size of each faction affects its level of discipline. According to an econometric analysis of 982 roll-call votes, crucial determinants of discipline in the larger parties were the amount of budget resources allocated to them by the President and the time remaining in the President’s term.