ENGINEERS, SUGARS AND BUSINESSES IN THE CAPITAN PERNAMBUCO (c.1655- c.1750)

Abstract

Between the mid-seventeenth century and the middle of the eighteenth century, sugar industry of Pernambuco captaincy went through several problems and difficulties. Both plantation owners and small landowners continuously complained about the low production. Nevertheless, in the midst of so many problems, the number of sugar plantations in Pernambuco never ceased to grow in this hundred years interregnum, which suggests the importance of other businesses beyond the scope of sugar factories and plantations, that enabled the overcome of sugar production difficulties. Thus we observe that the most important branches of business of the captaincy were intertwined with sugar production, generating considerable internal accumulation in Pernambuco. Therefore, it was this internal accumulation that allowed investments in the sugar plantations and factories, enabling the rehabilitation of sugar economy and the permanence of sugar as the most important product of the captaincy for that period of time.

Keywords

• Sugar plantation
• Sugar industry
• Trade