Industrial Heritage in Brazil

Abstract

This essay deals at first with the peculiarities of the industrialization process in Brazil since the beginning of the 20th century, taken as reflex of a phenomenon which originated in 18th century England and spread to other European countries during the 19th century. The initial focus centers on the industrialization process in Brazil, considering the four periods in which this development may be divided: the so called ‘Prohibition’ period (1500-1808); the period known as ‘Establishment’ (1808-1930); the period of the “Brazilian Industrial Revolution’ (1930-1956); and finally, the ‘Internationalization’ period, which begins in 1956 and extends up to the present. The inquiry then confines itself to the theme of industrial heritage in Brazil, based on the concepts of ‘industrial heritage’ and industrial arqueology’, to then concentrate on the specific question of the sugar production mills.