Space, Culture, and Labour in Santa Catarina, 1900-1960

Abstract

The history of the Brazilian working class is complex: immigration, slavery, migration, ethnic-racial conflicts, strikes and paternalism have been important factors that shaped the world of labour and class formation in this culturally diverse society. The southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina has been portrayed in the rest of the country as a white European state, predominantly German, and as a land of work and few strikes. The role of German immigrants in the development of Santa Catarina’s working class itself is very complex and requires some further research. By analysing the working-class formation, including important strikes in the textile and mining industries during the 20th century, this article challenges the image of Santa Catarina as a state without any significant social conflicts.