Migratory dynamics in the Brazilian State of Paraná and its southwestern region during the 20th century

Abstract

The migratory dynamics and evolution of the Brazilian State of Paraná, specifically in its southwestern region, consisted of three different periods during the 20th century, and played a central role in the region’s spatial configuration. Between 1900 and 1940 the region maintained a sparse and scattered population living on a subsistence economy. The state’s agricultural frontier grew considerably between 1940 and 1970, and this attracted thousands of workers and their families from other parts of Brazil. It also brought about causing extensive and intensive occupation and appropriation. Between 1970 and 2000 the state of Paraná entered into the process of agricultural modernization already occurring in other parts of the country, and agriculture became subordinated to the industrial sector. This meant a new social and territorial division of labor in southwestern Paraná and caused a rapid and drastic reduction of the rural population. There consequently occurred a process of urbanization and the formation of immense emigratory flows that causing repercussions far beyond the state’s borders and into other regions in the country. The objective of this article is to analyze these migratory dynamics in southwestern Paraná, as seen during three different periods. the study is based on exploratory field work carried out in 2008, using semi-structured interviews and bibliographic, documentary and statistical analysis (especially with data from the federal censuses. The author discusses how, during the 20th century, the region’s migratory dynamics took place by attracting, reorganizing and ousting large portions of the population.