Brazilian Agricultural Development, 1890–1950

This book provides a comprehensive history of Brazilian agricultural economic development between 1890 and 1950. It details the US agricultural education that made an impact on Brazil and how this translated into private capital in the US. The book highlights the shifting priorities of Brazil's regional elites during the First Republic and takes readers through the its downfall in 1930. Chapters cover how US educators implanted the philosophy and practices of US agricultural education at the nation’s three most prominent university-level institutes of agronomist education. The history also documents the activist role played by the United States in the agricultural development of Brazil during an early part of the century, which was before the US was a world leader economically. Earl Richard Downes provides detailed documentation of the creation of the major agricultural education institutions in Brazil and their initial contributions to Brazil’s agricultural development. He also provides insight into the Brazilian federal government reaction to international crises with opportunities for profit through increased production for external markets. The resulting book breaks down the specific social and economic history that led to heightened economic development in a developing nation. Earl Richard Downes (1947–2024) was a military officer, private-sector activist, and civilian educator. He held a Bachelor of Science in Latin American Studies from the US Air Force Academy, a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of Florida, and a PhD in Latin American History from the University of Texas at Austin. Downes dedicated his career to improving US Latin American relations.