The agricultural revolution in Brazil: the singularity of the development of capitalism in Brazilian agriculture, 1850-1930

Abstract

This paper shows that the universal logic of capitalism can be identified within
the singularity of agricultural change in Brazil during the initial period of industrialization
(1889-1930), through the mediation of a particular pattern of agricultural transformation
based on large estates. The development of agriculture was marked by the process of gradual
transformation of the large estates (lafifundia) into modern capitalist enterprises, in such a
way that the Brazilian pattern could not be based on small peasant properties. As a result,
the development of capitalist relations of production and the productive forces remained
weak and was limited to industry, while the majority of the population could not improve
its poor living conditions.

JEL Classification: N56; Q10.