A (in)dependência na formação social brasileira: um exercício de aproximação

Abstract

This monograph examines the relationship between dependence and independence in Brazil's historical process, emphasizing the colonial legacies that continue to shape contemporary Brazil. The analysis is based on a literature review of the development of dependent capitalism in Brazil, utilizing the Marxist theory of dependency and Brazilian social thought, with a focus on scholars such as Florestan Fernandes, Nelson Werneck Sodré, and Ruy Mauro Marini. The research explores two key historical periods: the colonial invasion and the imperial era, highlighting how the framework of large estates, monoculture, and slavery laid the foundation of the national economy. The transition to dependent capitalism, consolidated after the Independence of 1822, is discussed in the context of unequal relations between central and peripheral nations, illustrating an ongoing economic pattern in which Brazil remains an exporter of raw materials and an importer of manufactured goods. In conclusion, the study addresses the persistence of this structural dependency and its impact on the construction of a genuinely sovereign and independent nation.