City and Countryside in the Onset of Brazilian Industrialization

In: Studies in comparative international development, Band 27, Heft 3, S. 26-56

Abstract

Accounts of the extensive industrialization experienced by Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the first part of the twentieth century have emphasized external shocks or direct linkages to the coffee economy centered on the large estates. Here, these theories are tested, taking into account timing, concentration, & other aspects of industrialization through 1940. Various bodies of evidence confirm that industrial concentration in the city of Sao Paulo represented a transition to industrialization before & during the 1920s. Sao Paulo's industrialization before & through the 1930s was related to a dynamic hinterland experiencing diversification & differentiation. Independent growers played a key role with regard to industrialization, possibly more than the large coffee landlords. Sao Paulo's network of towns, transportation facilities, & commercial activity connected city & countryside & favored the dominance of the city & industrialization. A brief comparison with other cities supports the analysis & suggests a broad comparative framework to explore theoretical implications. 5 Figures, 90 References. Adapted from the source document.