City and countryside in the onset of Brazilian industrialization

Accounts of the extensive industrialization experienced by São Paulo during the first part of the twentieth century have emphasized external “shocks” or direct linkages to the coffee economy centered on the large estate. This article considers the timing, concentration, and other aspects of industrialization through 1940 to assess these and other theories. Various bodies of evidence confirm that the industrial concentration in the city of São Paulo represented a transition to industrialization before and during the 1920s. Taking place well before the interruption in international trade caused by the depression of the 1930s, the roots of this phenomenon were internal. São Paulo’s industrialization before and through the 1930s was related to a dynamic hinterland experiencing diversification and differentiation. Independent growers played a key role with regard to industrialization, possibly more than the large coffee landlords. São Paulo’s network of towns, transportation facilities, and commercial activity connected city and countryside and favored the dominance of the city and industrialization. A brief comparison with other cities confirms the analysis and suggests a broad comparative framework to explore theoretical implications.