Interação entre mercados de trabalho e razão entre salários rurais e urbanos no Brasil

The paper seeks to contribute to the analysis of the rise in the ratio of rural to urban wages ocurred in the decade of the seventies, which apparently is in contradiction with evidence of relatively low standards of living of the agricultural wage labor force. The main explanations in the literature are critically discussed and, on the basis of a deeper analysis of the peculiarities of the rural labor market, a particular form of interaction between the latter and the urban labor markets is postulated. It is proposed, at the end, that the differentiation between the rural and urban labor markets, which is shown to be so relevant for the analysis of the questions dealt with in the paper, expresses, basically, the peculiarities of capitalist development in agriculture vis-a-vis industry.Procura-se contribuir para a análise da elevação ocorrida na razão entre os salários rurais e urbanos na década dos setenta, um fenômeno que aparentemente conflita com evidências de padrão de vida relativamente baixo da mao-deobra assalariada agn'cola. Discutem-se criticamente as explicagoes mais importantes na literatura e, com base numa análisemais detida das peculiaridades do mercado de trabalho rural, postula-se uma forma particular de interação entre esseúltimo e os mercados de trabalho urbanos. Sugere-se, no final, que a diferenciação entre os mercados de trabalho rurais e urbanos, considerada tão relevante para a análise das questões tratadas no trabalho, reflete, basicamente, as peculiaridades do desenvolvimento capitalista na agricultura vis-a-vis a indústria

BIOFUEL CHAIN: DEVELOPMENT, COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY IN BRAZIL

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Brazilian biofuel chain, according to the Porter’s competitive advantage approach. The Brazilian biofuel policy is worldwide known not only by stimulating its production, but also by granting tax incentives. The current paper highlights how the biofuel policy was developed in Brazilsince the adoption of Proálcool, how this chain works, and how the government coordinates the different production stages. Despite Brazil had gone by different phases, from the full adoption and support by the federal government to the low public incentives, most of the mills kept the productive structure of Proálcool.The results of this study show that the government participation is crucial for the success of the biofuel program. In addition, unlike other nations,Brazilstill has the possibility to increase his production – either through harvest area or through productivity – without environmental damage. Thus,Brazilcould increase its exportation, with relative competitive advantage. Finally, the study results show that, in a medium-term, the biofuel exportation growth cannot affect fuel prices in domestic market, which is another competitive advantage in international market.

Crescimento agrícola no período 1999/2004: a explosão da soja e da pecuária bovina e seu impacto sobre o meio ambiente

This paper analyses the Brazilian agricultural growth since January 1999, when a new exchange rate policy was adopted by the country. The analysis focuses on the behavior the exchange rate and international commodity prices throughout the period 1999/2004. It is also analysed the behavior of cropped area in this recent period, with the conclusion that there has been a fast increase in area planted with grains in the agricultural years 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2003/04, due almost entirely to the growth of soybeans area. The paper proposes that this expansion of area planted with soybeans was based preponderantly on the conversion of pastures. It is also suggested that expansion of soybeans should not be seen as antagonistic to the environmental policy, specially in what respects the protection of the Amazon forest.Este trabalho analisa o crescimento agrícola brasileiro após a mudança da política cambial, em janeiro de 1999. Toma como base, para isso, o comportamento da taxa de câmbio e dos preços internacionais das commodities ao longo do período 1999/2004. Discute-se, também, o comportamento da área cultivada nesse período recente, mostrando que ocorreu um aumento muito grande da área plantada com grãos nos anos agrícolas 2001/02, 2002/03 e 2003/04, em grande parte devido à expansão da soja. O trabalho propõe que essa expansão tão rápida da área plantada com soja se deu preponderantemente com base em conversão de pastagens. Sugere-se, ainda, que a expansão da soja não deve ser vista como antagônica à política ambiental, especialmente no que se refere à proteção da floresta amazônica

Crédito rural subsidiado e preço da terra no Brasil

Este trabalho pretende contribuir para a discussão da hipótese levantada na literatura acerca do fato de que o crédito rural subsidiado - principal instrumento da política agrícola a partir da segunda metade da década de 60 - além de ser um instrumento ineficiente, conflitivo com os objetivos de controle monetário e concentrador de renda e de riqueza, tem tido também um papel relevante na elevação do preço da terra agrícola no Brasil

Políticas trabalhista, fundiária e de crédito agrícola no Brasil: uma avaliação crítica

This paper discusses the question of the concentrated pattern of agricultural development in Brazil, as expressed in the predominance of large-scale production, high level of mechanization and low absorption of non-qualified labor. It is proposed, initially, the existence of two conflicting explanations for this fact: the first, that blames our historical heritage, characterized by the predominance of the latifundio, and the second, that sees in this fact a technological determinism, with the implication that lesser concentration in agriculture would involve a loss of economic efficiency. This paper, however, attributes to the labor, land and credit policies directed to agriculture, instituted in the decade of 1960, the major responsibility for this problem. As the analysis shows, these policies turned unviable the agricultural temporary labor market and family farm, at the same time that they stimulated agricultural mechanization and large-scale production. The paper ends up proposing a deregulation both of agricultural labor and land markets, as well as a drastic reduction in the subsidized agricultural credit

Políticas trabalhista, fundiária e de crédito agrícola no Brasil: uma avaliação crítica

This paper discusses the question of the concentrated pattern of agricultural development in Brazil, as expressed in the predominance of large-scale production, high level of mechanization and low absorption of non-qualified labor. It is proposed, initially, the existence of two conflicting explanations for this fact: the first, that blames our historical heritage, characterized by the predominance of the latifundio, and the second, that sees in this fact a technological determinism, with the implication that lesser concentration in agriculture would involve a loss of economic efficiency. This paper, however, attributes to the labor, land and credit policies directed to agriculture, instituted in the decade of 1960, the major responsibility for this problem. As the analysis shows, these policies turned unviable the agricultural temporary labor market and family farm, at the same time that they stimulated agricultural mechanization and large-scale production. The paper ends up proposing a deregulation both of agricultural labor and land markets, as well as a drastic reduction in the subsidized agricultural credit

Políticas trabalhista, Fundiária e de Crédito Agrícola e Seus Impactos Adversos Sobre a Pobreza no Brasil

This paper discusses the question of the concentrated pattern of agriculturaldevelopment in Brazil, as expressed in the predominance of large-scale production,high level of mechanization and low absorption of non-qualified labor. It is proposed,initially, the existence of two conflicting explanations for this fact: the first, thatblames our historical heritage, characterized by the predominance of the latifúndio,with the implication that the solution requires a radical agrarian reform; and thesecond, that sees in this concentrated pattern of agricultural growth in Brazil atechnological determinism, with the implication that lesser concentration in agriculturewould imply a loss in economic efficiency. Diverging radically from these two lines ofarguments, this paper attributes to the agricultural labor and to the land policies thatwere instituted in the 1960s, and to the agricultural credit policy, instituted by thesame time, the major responsibility for this problem. As argued in the paper, thesepolicies turned unviable in Brazil not only the agricultural temporary labor market,but also family farm, at the same time that stimulated agricultural mechanization andthe predominance of large-scale production. The paper ends up proposing, in amanner consistent with the analysis presented, that the only way to initiate the deconcentrationof our agricultural growth would be through a radical de-regulationboth of agricultural labor and land markets, instituting in Brazil, at last, freecontracting, the most basic capitalistic institution.