Abstract

This paper summarises available data and information about te Brazilian economy for the period 1830-1930, in order to identify some of the possible causes of the failure of te export-led growth model in setting te country in a path of sustained development. Although favoured by its size and abundance of natural resources, and in spite of the progress brought about by the export-led growth model, Brazil remained a very poor country in 1929/30. The main causes of this poor performance are related to built-in characteristics of the export-led growth model that failed to induce political, institutional, social and economic changes in the country.