A 2.1. What were the historical conditions in which the sugar-cane agribusiness activities began in Brazil?
In colonial times, the Brazilian economy at the whim of the Portuguese metropolis developed by cycles, according to the interests and vicissitudes of the international market. First, we experienced the brazil wood cycle, followed by the cane sugar cycle and, finally, the gold cycle. In colonial Brazil, each of these products went through an expansion period and then a decline stage. During the First Reign (1822-1831), the Regency (1831-1840) and the Second Reign years (1840-1889), the sugar made in Brazil competed with that made in the Antilles from the sugar-cane brought by the Dutch following their expulsion from Brazil , as well as the beet sugar that had been produced on large scale in Europe since the 17th century. The heavy taxes imposed by the various governments on sugar imports were then a strong hindrance to the trade. The Oligarchic Republic (1889-1930) marked the peak and decline of the agricultural export-based economy. In addition to coffee, which after a great expansion
