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Capital–Labour and State Dynamics in Export Horticulture in North‐east Brazil
Author(s) -
Selwyn Ben
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
development and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-7660
pISSN - 0012-155X
DOI - 10.1111/dech.12113
Subject(s) - restructuring , livelihood , dialectic , capital (architecture) , order (exchange) , state (computer science) , dynamics (music) , class (philosophy) , political science , economy , agriculture , economics , sociology , geography , pedagogy , philosophy , archaeology , epistemology , finance , algorithm , artificial intelligence , computer science , law
This article argues for the primacy of class relations and struggles as determinants of developmental processes and outcomes, emphasizing the evolving, dialectical nature of these relations. It does so by providing a case study of export horticulture in North‐east Brazil. It documents how the region's rural trade union has been able, through mobilizing its membership base, to achieve significant improvements in their livelihoods, pay and conditions. It also shows how the region's employers have responded to these gains by restructuring the labour force in order to attempt to fragment and weaken it. The article pays particular attention to the gender dynamics of class relations.