Trabalho, Capital e Desigualdades Regionais: uma análise comparativa das indústrias têxteis em São Paulo e Maranhão (1870 - 1930)

This article presents a comparative analysis of the development of the textile industries in São Paulo and Maranhão between 1870 and 1930, focusing on labor dynamics, capital organization, and the implications of regional inequalities on Brazil's industrialization process. Using a comparative economic history approach, the study draws on Maria Alice Rosa Ribeiro's research on working conditions in São Paulo's textile factories and empirical and documentary analysis of Maranhão's textile industry. São Paulo's industry underwent accelerated modernization, marked by the adoption of innovative technologies, capital centralization, and the establishment of an oligopolistic market. Work was characterized by long hours and strict social control, but also by innovations that enhanced competitiveness and expansion. In contrast, Maranhão's textile industry faced significant barriers due to technological stagnation, family-based management, and low investment. Although also featuring an oligopolistic structure, Maranhão's industry failed to adapt to new market demands. The comparison between the two regions illustrates how regional inequalities distinctively shaped the industrialization process in Brazil, highlighting the importance of public policies, technological innovation, and labor organization for the development of local industries.