Economy and Society of Historical Brazil Essay

This essay investigates how the political statistical distribution of land and the physical exertion of coerced labor on sugar plantations and mining affected the developing of economies and societies in colonial Brazil. Distribution of land in colonial Brail was politically-motivated and strikingly unequal. Landlords owned huge territories and exerted considerable yield upon both people residing in that territories and local governance institutions. People who didnt own land were exclusively powerless against the tyranny of landlords.Furthermore, unequal distribution of land had negative economic consequences landlords owned more land than they could manage, so great areas were utilise in a wasteful way (Wright & Wolford, 2003). As concerns coerced labor, striverry also had a profound impact on Brazilian economy and society. Coerced labor was used in sugar-cane mills, gold mines, and sugar plantation. Slavery contributed significantly to the economic development of the countr y, especially of its North-Eastern parts. Coerced labor can be regarded as a study factor in turning Brazil into export-oriented agricultural economy.As for the influence on the society, resistance among slaves used to be a source of unvaried social tension. However, in cultural terms, certain elements of African culture last fitted well in the mainstream culture of the country, Capoeira being the most telling example. Also, slave trade become a source of quick accumulation of riches by certain categories of population, like traders and slave market owners. Thus, the political distribution of land and use of coerced labor can be regarded as cardinal major factor shaping the economy and social structure of colonial Brazil.