In this work, it is shown that Brazil has already entered the past century behind the developed countries. The three main views to explain this fact are reviewed and a fourth, based on recent theoretical developments, is presented. This view explains the backwardness of the Brazilian economy due to the composition of its social classes, their historical roots and their interrelations.
KEYWORDS:
Underdevelopment; economic history of Brazil; economic growth
| 1820 | 1850 | 1900 | 1950 | 1987 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1255.60 | 2517.10 | 3532.50 | 5931.10 | 12892.80 |
| USA | 1050.70 | 1671.20 | 3757.10 | 8610.50 | 17339.50 |
| England | 1353.20 | 1820.30 | 3539.30 | 5650.80 | 12659.20 |
| France | 1070.80 | 1442.90 | 2421.50 | 4148.80 | 13048.70 |
| Germany | 578.50 | 623.60 | 1265.10 | 3338.90 | 13171.60 |
| Belgium | 1031.80 | 1440.70 | 2910.70 | 4227.70 | 11898.90 |
| Denmark | 1032.50 | 1433.00 | 2447.00 | 5224.10 | 13394.00 |
| Sweden | 946.60 | 1020.00 | 2026.30 | 5331.30 | 14340.60 |
| Brazil | 136.20 | 243.90 | 330.20 | 1112.50 | 4128.70 |
| 1820-50 | 1850-1900 | 1900-50 | 1950-87 | 1850-1987 | 1820-1987 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2.30 | 0.70 | 1.00 | 2.10 | 1.20 | 1.40 |
| USA | 1.60 | 1.60 | 1.70 | 1.90 | 1.70 | 1.70 |
| England | 1.00 | 1.30 | 0.90 | 2.20 | 1.40 | 1.30 |
| France | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.10 | 3.10 | 1.60 | 1.50 |
| Germany | 0.30 | 1.40 | 2.00 | 3.80 | 2.30 | 1.90 |
| Belgium | 1.10 | 1.40 | 0.70 | 2.80 | 1.60 | 1.50 |
| Denmark | 1.10 | 1.10 | 1.50 | 2.60 | 1.60 | 1.50 |
| Sweden | 0.20 | 1.40 | 2.00 | 2.70 | 1.90 | 1.60 |
| Brazil | 2.00 | 0.60 | 2.50 | 3.60 | 2.10 | 2.10 |
