Industriais da Seca and the Politics of Drought in the Brazilian Northeast

Resumo

This paper examines Antonio Callado’s critique of the social and political dynamics surrounding drought in Brazil’s Northeast, as highlighted in his 1959 chronicles for the newspaper Correio da Manhã, which exposed the Indústria da Seca—a network of large landowners and politicians who exploited drought relief efforts for personal and political gain. Callado argued that drought, often framed as a climatic issue, perpetuated inequality and reinforced power imbalances. Employing a historical-documentary methodology, this study draws on Callado’s chronicles and archival sources. Using Milton Santos’ theory of space, it explores how socio-political structures and resource control transformed drought into a tool of profit and domination. Celso Furtado’s developmental thought, particularly his advocacy of land reform and equitable resource distribution, informs the analysis. By synthesizing Callado, Santos and Furtado’s perspectives, this paper highlights drought as a reflection of entrenched inequalities and a contested site of power.

Ficha do documento

Tipo

Artigo científico

Ano

2025

Instituição

ANPUR

Fonte

Revista Brasileira de Estudos Urbanos e Regionais

Idioma

Português

Acesso

Não informado

DOI

10.22296/2317-1529.rbeur.202551pt

Identificador

oai:ojs.rbeur.anpur.org.br:article/7827

Licença

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Temas

Políticas PúblicasDesenvolvimento RegionalDesenvolvimento Econômico

Palavras-chave

Antonio CalladoRegional planningSocio-Spatial inequalitiesRegional developmentPublic policiesPlanejamento regionalDesigualdades socioespaciaisDesenvolvimento RegionalPolítica Pública