O café no sudoeste mineiro : terra, trabalho e acumulação (1880-1930)

Abstract

This study is devoted to examining the coffee economy in the southwestern region of Minas Gerais, encompassing the municipalities of Guaxupé, Guaranésia, and Muzambinho, during the period from 1880 to 1930. Utilizing a diverse and extensive array of sources, we undertake an in-depth analysis of the evolution of the regional coffee industry, with particular emphasis on aspects such as land ownership structure, internal farm configurations, labor systems, and wealth distribution. In the first section of our research, we delve into the expansion of coffee cultivation, local production statistics, and the repercussions of the emerging economic dynamics on the distribution of land ownership and the organization of farms. Drawing from inventories and supplementary sources, we are able to identify the key production units, gain insights into the scale of coffee plantations, assess investments in farm improvements and equipment related to crop processing, and explore the methods employed in property management. Moving on to the second section, we commence by presenting the labor systems employed on these farms and the remuneration received by workers. Our investigation, based on private property records, reveals that on the larger estates, sharecropping emerged as the predominant labor arrangement. Finally, we turn our attention to an analysis of the composition of local fortunes, the distribution of resources, and the capacity for wealth accumulation within this newly organized economic framework.