Brazilian Labor History and Classical Sociological Theory

The General Strike of 1917 in Brazil

The General Strike of 1917 refers to the widespread industrial and commercial stoppage that occurred in Brazil in July 1917. This mobilization arose from the growing influence of labor organizations and the anarcho-syndicalist-inspired libertarian press. It became one of the most comprehensive and significant labor actions in Brazilian history.

Key Demands of the 1917 Strike

The workers presented several crucial requirements:

1. That all persons detained by reason of the strike be set at liberty.
2. That the absolute right of association for workers be respected.
3. That no worker be dismissed for having participated actively and openly in the strike.
4. That the exploitation of labor of minors under 14 years in factories, workshops, and similar establishments be abolished.
5. That workers under 18 years of age not be employed on the night shift.

Resolution and Legacy of the Labor Movement

The resolution saw the bosses agree to an immediate increase in salary and promise to consider the other requirements. The great victory, however, was the recognition of the labor movement as a legitimate body, forcing employers to negotiate with the workers and consider their input in decision-making.

Sociology: Understanding Social Transformation

The Science of the Modern World

Sociology is the science that emerged and developed within a world defined by transformations. Often called a “narrative of the modern world,” classical sociology not only identified the factors that lead to transformation but also those that ensure the so-called social reproduction.

Karl Marx and the Contradictions of Capitalism

Marx defined capitalism as a contradictory mode of production, where the accumulation of capital requires the appropriation of surplus value (surplus labor). In the early 20th century, labor conflicts were frequent; there were few days without news of a strike movement or simultaneous response. Marx believed that workers would eventually realize that their greatest enemy was not a boss or another individual in particular, but the capitalist system itself.

Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic

Weber discovered affinities between professional practices and the behavior of Protestants, suggesting that the intense interest in work and capital accumulation had an origin in religious ethics, rather than solely in the greed for profit (lucro). This concept is central to his work on the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Émile Durkheim: Conflict and Social Cohesion

Émile Durkheim recognized many of the conflicts that opposed workers and employers, especially in France during his time. His primary concern was creating conditions for a society to be replicable in a relatively harmonious manner, mitigating the conflicts that threatened its existence.

Education and the Socialization of New Generations

For Durkheim, education has the goal of socializing new generations, transforming them into social beings capable of playing the roles that society has prepared for them. Through this process, society ensures its continuity and relative stability.