Geografia humana do Brasil

geografia econômica

Resumo

The present number of the Review publishes the conclusion of a monography which studies human geography of Brazil, writen by the eminent professor, Mr. P. Deffontaines, from them University of the Federal District, in Rio de Janeiro. It is the IVth chapter of the monography, that reports to economic geography. Previously the author explains that he shall study in this work the principals problems and aspects of brazillan economy, for the study of the products them selves is a subjet well treated already.

After ressaulting the importance of the agricultura! problems in Brazil, the author examines the ancient pioneer agriculture, essentialy devoted to the products of exportation, with the methods peculiar to this phasis: extensive cultures, without been seasoned and practiced in lands recently cleared of woods. He shows how these processes quickly exhausted the land, producing a sort of nomade cultures, that cause a great unprofitableness of the properties and an alarming wasteness of forests. The most ancients zones of agricultura are nearly all declining but the rich cultures as the coffee, on the contrary, are placed in virgin lands of the "pioneer front".

The author then reports to another particularity of the brazillan agricultura history, its division in economic cycles. He examines the first one, sugar canne cycle, that made the fortune of Brazil in the XVII th and XVIII th centuries, and declined last century with the birth of a new cycle, the one of coffee; and that presently returns to its first development. The author exposes the relative importance of the tobacco as small culture, while sugar canne and coffee cultures, are on the contrary bounded to the large property. The author studies the second cycle, the one of coffee, culture essentialy nomade and wasting, that leaves behind, when the "coffee wave" is over, nothing but exhausted land; he makes reference to the instability of coffee politics, with its successive valorizations and depreciations, with the destruction by fire of the superabounding stock and the return in 1937 to a politics of free concurrence, which gave a new increasement to the exportation.

After recalling the dangers of the monoculture system, with its periodical orisis, the author studies the present evolution to a new agricultura, a varied one, in wich the "latifundios" are divided in little properties, originating a new class of middle rural proprietarles, what will certainly bring a greater stability to population. He appoints to the progress of feeding cultures of local consumption, surpassing the ancient idea of obtaining only products for exportation. Even for these ones, the production is now much more equal (the coffee that represented 80 of the value of exportation in 1913, did not reach 50% in 1938); the culture of cotton developed itself extraordinarily and Brazil presently occupies the forth place as cotton producer in the world, supplying thus all the needs of its most important industry, the textil, and exporting the exceeding for the cacao, Brazil maintains the second rank amongst the world's producers, and the first place for the ricinus production. The author calls the attentation to the progress of fruits and European vegetables production and foresees a great future to their exportation for Europe, on account of the seasons inversion with the hemisphere changement. He reports to the exceeding: for the cacao, Brazil maintains the second rank amongst the world's producers, in the cost of importation; but the resu1ts of this effort are still of small importance. The wine culture, on the contrary, shows a very encouraging progress, and the author declares that there is already a beginning of exportation. Another remarkable characteristics of brazilian economy, as the author exposes, is the importance given to natural crops since the discovery age, in which the "pau-brazil" was the first product of exportation. This importance is continued with the clave (a sert o spice), the caoutchouc of the Amazon region (second product of brazilian exportation in the XIX century), the "ipecacuanha", the "mate", the "babassú", the "carnaúba" etc. He exposes the inconvenience of the natural crops, later eclipsed by the rational plantations, giving as a typic example the Amazon region ruined by the concurrence of the "seringais" (rubber-tree) cultivated in Malasia; thus explaining the substitution of natural crops by the plantations. Another interesting aspect in the existence of cycles also for the natural crops.

Following his study, the author examines the severa! types of cattle, showing how the increasing cattle, zone since its birth was separated from the agricultura one, localizing itself in the plateaus of the interior, the "sertões", while the cultures, on the contrary, were developed in the forest and littoral zones. He studies the peopling of both these zones; the one of agricultura beelng composed of a wihte aristocracy and of a populace of descendants from african slaves; in the people of the cattle increasing zone, he notes the prevalence of white element, but with no well distinguished social hierarchy.

The author examines particularly the different zones, and discriminates: the market zone, placed between the agricultural and cattle increasing countries; the fattering zone, situated in the nearer fields, with its "invernadas" (grounds for fattering); and then, the cattle increasing proper zone, in the distant "sertões". Presently this distinction is not so remarkable, for the old agricultural properties, with their exhausted lands, are designed to cattle breeding. The author studies then the actual changings in the cattle exportation. He shows that the present tendence is to develop frigorific meat exportation, the dry meat ("xarques") and cattle exportation beeing not so usual today. To ameliorate the cattle's quality, indian "zebú" was imported which, crossed with the native "caracú", originated the new "indo-brasil" breed, from which the author says that reproducers are exported. In the environs of large towns, till the limit of 8 hours journey, the cattle increasing sets towards the production of milk; and farther on, to the butter and cheese manufacturing. The author thinks that Brazil will yet be exporter of milk products.

Reporting to the fishery problems, the author is astonished with the little development of this industry, in spite of brazilian coast and rivers beeing so fishful. He remarks that the fishery in Brazil regards much more the native customs than the splendid fishery organization of the portuguese people in their own country. Although the author explains, that modern methods begin to be employed; and that the development of this industry dependa upon the solution of the problem of the transporta to the interior. The author reminds the importance that the precious minerais, principally gold and diamand, had in the past, originating the peopling of the interior of the country: Minas Gerais, Goiaz and Mato Grosso. He describes the moisten and difficult adaption of the miners to the agricultural life, when the "gold fever" was over; lasting only presently, from the precious mineral cycle, some well equipped mines (Morro Velho and Passagem in Minas) and some work of reaping in the rivers alluvions (the "garimpos"), which give annually 4.000 kg. of gold. He studies particularly the preparation of a new miner cycle, the iron and manganese one. The author declares that Brazil is the owner of vast deposits of these minerais, those of iron beeing estimated in 23% of the world's reserves. He explains the paradox of the small steel production, as a result of the defect of mineral combustible; reason why, untill now, the exploration of poor minerais was the only one allowed; for these minerais, easily melted, can be treated with wooden coal (beast furnace of Sabará, Monlevade etc. in the state of Minas Gerais). The author explains that for this reason the brazilian iron metallurgy is intimately joined to the forests. He studies then the different solutions to utilization of rich minerais: the exportation, or the enterprise of iron metallurgy, importing foreign coke or profiting the coal from the brazilian mines, conveniently treated. He ressaults the necessity of more efficient transporta so that the solution of this problem may be possible.

After having examined the different aspects of production, the author studies the two basic problems of brazillan economy: energy and transport. Considering the first one, he describes the disadvantageous situation of the coal mines in the south of Brazil, not only on account of their position but also for the inferior quality of the coal, in spite of the improvement of its treatment process, with the chiefly purpose of obtaining metallurgic coke. He shows that the country's production attains almost 1/3 of its consumption, so that great part of the combustible used continues to be the wood. The petroleum remains a great expectation, but in recompense the author says that Brazil is provided in inexhaustible quantity, of hydraulic energy, possessing already a great number of hydro-electric plants that furnish energy to sever Fabrics and to some railways. The author declares that "it is only by means of hydro-electricity that Brazil can conquer his autonomy in energy."

Studying the transporta, he considerers previously the rivers navigation, prevailing in the north of Brazil, with its splendid amazonian river net; and then, the transport made by troops of mules, very important in other parts of the country where the rivers navigation is difficult ed by the obstacles. (water-falls, rapids etc.) that are found there. The author exposes the difficulties to the construction of roads, on account of the ondulated relief, the forest couverture and, above all, the nature of the soil, mostly clayish, beeing very expensive its revestment. In other way the automobile and the petroleum are very expensive for they are products of importation; reason why, the author is admired to see the audacious penetration of the automobile in the interior of the country. Following his study, he examines the railway system, ressaulting its biggest obstacle; the relief, and principally the ascending of this barrier, the "Serra do Mar"; he declares that, in spite of the sensible progress, as for instance, the electrification of several parts of the railway system, it remains very insufficient (35.000 km.), to assure the flowing of of the production; the author describes the railway lines distribution which are generally lines of penetration, independent ones from the others.

The author remarke that the commercial unity is principally assured by the sea navigation which is still the great axis of transport. He studies then, the im1) ortant part that is destined to the airways system, the great hope of a country which principal obstacle to transport is the distance. He examines, with particularity, the different conditions that Brazil offers to the airplane, begining by its climate: the heat, that demands some adaptions of the airplanes; the small barometric variations; the visibility and nebulosity, important factors that offer advantageous conditions in the nord-east coast. He studies then the several particularitles of the south coast, very rainy, what repercutes seriously in the ground of the landing fields, which get smooth and muddy in the rain season. He exposes how these conditions appoint the advantage of hydroplane, advantage that increases with the consideration of the rellef and navigation of the south, littoral zone.

The author studies the airway lines, ressaulting the importance of the hydroaviation, not only regarding the physical conditions previously reported, but also for the subjection of the airways circulation to the ancient axis of general circulation, along the coast. He examines the lines, which belong to a great international airway system, maintained by particular companies (Air France, Condor and Panair), which made an agreement, that allows a nearly daily departure, the correspondence between Europe and America beeing so dane in a weck. The author explains that from this littoral axis line, other transversal lines begin to ramify, runing to the interior; lines which reproduce the ancient earth ways of penetration, for, says the author, "the transport revolution is not yet reauzed by airplane". He heightens the grea part played by the brazilian military aviation as the pioneer of this transport revolution, establishing new air lines to the interior, to the "Sertão". He describes the military Unes in trafic and those already projected, as also the probables ramifications of the particular companies airways. After exposing some statistical data reporting to 1937, the author shows his admiration to the progress attained, and foresees the transformation that airplane will bring to general ciculation, when all the projected lines will be realized. At this time, says the author, Brazil will play the part for which it is destined by its geographical situation; that is to say: to be the front of South America, towards the East, towards Europe. In other way, the interior of the country will then be a passage zone and the "unity of Brazil shall be firmed and fortified by the airplane". He exposes the good offices performed by radio-communications, declaringthat "the airplane and the radio are the two great means with which Brazil is disposed to vanquish its principal enemy: the distance". Ending, the author heightens the character of brazllian civilization, "country that knew how to be at one time, conservator and innovator, that realized one of the most astonishing experience of occidental civilization re-youth", and finishes declaring that "Brazil presently happens to be to humanity, one of the largest reserve of the future."