Nos rastros de Gil Martins: comércio, política e industrialização na Primeira República brasileira (1889 1930)

Abstract

This thesis presents the results of a historical research about the First Brazilian Republic. The problematization of the research revolves around Gil Martins Gomes Ferreira’s performance in the fields of commerce, politics and industrialization in the state of Piauí. So that it was possible to understand how the discourses and practices around the ideals of progress that circulated in the period felt and acted differently according to the region of the country. Thus, this thesis aims to analyze the trajectory of Gil Martins Gomes Ferreira as a trader, politician and industrialist in the context of the First Brazilian Republic (1989-1930). Subsequently, the following specific objectives were established: to discuss Gil Martins’ performance as a trader from his relationship with navigation and the economic power relations established; analyze the figure of Gil Martins in the political party world of Piauí in the First Republic; to analyze Gil Martins’ trajectory in the process of modernization and industrialization of Teresina and Piauí. For its construction, we start from the methodological presuppositions of microhistory, from what is proposed by Ginzburg (2007, 1989), Grendi (1977), Levi (2015, 2014, 2006), among others, so that this work counted on the usage of sources of several natures, such as: photographs, newspapers, minutes, telegrams, letters, maps, inventories, almanac and other documents consulted in the collections of Piauí Public Archive, Museu do Solidão, Digital Hemeroteca of National Library and Fundação Valter Alencar. The narrative is structured in three parts that reflect the central categories of discussion: commerce, politics, and industrialization. The analysis of the sources was made from the dialogue with theory and historiography, among which we mention the works of Agulhon (2009), Berman (2007), Berstein (2003), Boehrer (2000), Brandão (1999, 1995), Graham (1997), Needell (2012), Nunes (2016), Queiroz (2008, 2006a, 2006b, 1994) and Rémond (2003), among others. The work shows itself as a contribution to the history of Brazil and Piauí, denoting how in a state away from the center of power and the national economy the discourses and achievements around progress were felt, assuming a specificity from their own historical conjuncture.