A trajetória de desenvolvimento do município de Pirapora (MG): dos vapores ao turismo

Abstract

The initial motivation of this work came from the interest in understanding how the development took place in Pirapora, during four relevant times in its history: the time of the vapors, initiated through fluvial navigation; The time of the rails, with the arrival of the railroad in the city; The time of Sudene, where the initial focus was industrialization; And the current time, where the Piraporan economy turns to other activities, among them the provision of services. In each chapter, we tried to contextualize the economic activity of the time in the main scenarios: international, national, regional and local, the latter being explained in all of them. In all the times the relevant presence of a natural agent, that was preponderant for the development of Pirapora: the São Francisco river was perceived. In this sense, the general objective of the study was to analyze the process of economic development of Pirapora in several periods of its history, relating it with the development in a social perspective. Aiming at the basis of the discussions, an extensive bibliographical research was carried out, within the proposed methodology. The case study was chosen as the research method. In addition, secondary data collection was performed on websites and public institutions. To illustrate, tables, graphs, pictures, figures and photos were also used, demonstrating the development that took place in Pirapora at different times. It is emphasized that the present work did not have the concern to classify or conceptualize the development under a single theory, but to show it as a historical process. In this way, words like Progress, Power, Wealth, and others, were always used with the connotation of development. It was also concerned not to expose only the economic side, which proved to be preponderant, but, in the same way, to show the social context, from the local residents. In the light of all the above, it was possible to make some considerations, especially as to who the development of Pirapora attended. It also became noticeable that development in the county occurred from the outside to the inside, generally imposed by external forces, based on both foreign and domestic capital. It was also found that part of the population did not participate in the development of Pirapora. The case study reached its proposal to unveil some nuances present in the development of Pirapora, and which is often not presented by history.