History seen through the lens of the social sciences: an interpretation of “Economia colonial brasileira nos séculos XVI e XVII” by Celso Furtado

ABSTRACT

The article proposes a reading of Celso Furtado’s doctoral thesis, entitled Economia colonial brasileira nos séculos XVI e XVII, defended at the University of Paris in 1948. Although it is considered the most historiographical work of Celso Furtado, we argue that his contact with history, at that time, was guided by issues arising from the social sciences. To this end, we examine some themes in his thesis, demonstrating how analysis is oriented by questions originating from sociology and economics.

KEYWORDS:
Celso Furtado; Annales School; economic history of Brazil