Sao Paulo, by far the most populated state in Brazil, has an economy to rival that of Colombia or Venezuela. Its capital city is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the world. How did Sao Paulo, once a frontier province of little importance, become one of the most vital agricultural and industrial regions of the world?

This volume explores the transformation of Sao Paulo through an economic lens. Francisco Vidal Luna and Herbert S. Klein provide a synthetic overview of the growth of Sao Paulo from 1850 to 1950, analyzing statistical data on demographics, agriculture, finance, trade, and infrastructure. Quantitative analysis of primary sources, including almanacs, censuses, newspapers, state and ministerial-level government documents, and annual government reports offers granular insight into state building, federalism, the coffee economy, early industrialization, urbanization, and demographic shifts. Luna and Klein compare Sao Paulo's transformation to other regions from the same period, making this an essential reference for understanding the impact of early periods of economic growth.

About the Author
Francisco Vidal Luna is Professor of Economics at Universidade de Sao Paulo. Herbert S. Klein is the Gouveneur Morris Professor Emeritus at Columbia University and Research Fellow and Curator at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. They are co-authors of Slavery and the Economy of Sao Paolo, 1750-1850 (Stanford, 2003).

Reviews
"A major undertaking by two eminent scholars on one of the most important regions in Latin America. Weaving together rich scholarship, original research, and extensive historical data, Luna and Klein offer a sorely-needed synthesis of the facets that contributed to Sao Paulo's evolution from modest agricultural province into Brazil's economic leader. This accessible volume offers an excellent case for comparative research on the developing world and areas of recent settlement, and will be welcomed by historians of Brazil and Latin America."-Anne Hanley, Northern Illinois University
"An Economic and Demographic History of Sao Paulo, 1850-1950is animportant accomplishment and a welcome addition to the literature on the history of Sao Paulo. Besides a comprehensive survey of the factors behind Sao Paulo's impressive growth, the book is also a successful attempt at historical and historiographical synthesis, one that covers many decades of literature and establishes a serious dialogue with Brazilian historiography and social science literature."-Paula Vedoveli, H-LatAm



Book Information
ISBN 9781503602007
Author Francisco Vidal Luna
Format Hardback
Page Count 480
Imprint Stanford University Press
Publisher Stanford University Press