By ERIK CHICONELLI GOMES*
The work of the British historian represents a true methodological revolution in the social sciences
EP Thompson’s influence on historiography extends beyond British history to a broader context in Latin American studies, including Brazilian historiography. His work, especially on class consciousness and moral economy, provides a theoretical framework for understanding social movements and historical narratives in Brazil. Scholars have drawn parallels between EP Thompson’s theories and the Brazilian sociopolitical scene, especially when analyzing the dynamics of class struggle and the role of popular movements in shaping the country’s history.
The work of the British historian represents a true methodological revolution in the social sciences, particularly in the way we understand the formation of social classes and popular movements. In the Brazilian context, his influence is especially significant because he offers theoretical tools that allow us to analyze the peculiarities of our social formation.
When we observe, for example, the complex relationships between masters and slaves in the colonial period, or between employers and employees at the beginning of Brazilian industrialization, Thompsonian concepts help us understand how these relationships were not simply determined by economic factors, but also by an intricate system of values, customs and mutual expectations.
EP Thompson’s concept of moral economy, which highlights the shared values and norms that govern economic behavior within communities, can be applied to the Brazilian historical context, particularly during periods of social unrest. For example, the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) embodies the principles of moral economy when advocating for agrarian reform based on notions of justice and equity, reflecting a collective understanding of rights among marginalized populations (Malamud, 2011; Higgins & Pereira, 2013). This movement, similar to the collective actions that Thompson studied in eighteenth-century England, illustrates how cultural and moral structures influence collective action in Brazil (Waters, 2022; Calabrese, 2005).
Brazilian historian Silvia Lara, in her book Fields of violence: slaves and masters in the captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, 1750-1808 (Paz e Terra, 1988), was one of the pioneers in applying Thompson's concept of moral economy to the Brazilian context. In her analysis of slave relations, she demonstrates how tensions between masters and slaves were not limited to material issues of labor exploitation, but involved a whole set of mutual expectations, customs, and shared notions of rights and duties.
The application of the concept of moral economy to the Brazilian context goes beyond the example of the MST, and can be observed in various historical moments. The popular uprisings of the colonial period, such as the Malês Revolt or the Cabanagem, can be better understood when analyzed from the perspective of moral economy. These movements were not simply reactions to material deprivation, but expressed a complex understanding of justice, rights and mutual obligations between different social groups. Likewise, the urban riots of the early 20th century, motivated by increases in food prices or transport fares, reveal the existence of shared notions about fair prices and basic rights of the population.
This perspective developed by Silvia Lara was fundamental to a new understanding of slavery in Brazil, influencing an entire generation of historians. Her analysis demonstrates how the concept of moral economy allows us to understand the complex daily negotiations between masters and slaves, which included not only economic aspects, but also moral and cultural ones. For example, by analyzing the physical punishments applied to slaves, Silvia Lara demonstrates how there was a shared understanding of the acceptable limits of violence, and how exceeding these limits could generate revolts and resistance.
Furthermore, EP Thompson’s critique of structuralist approaches resonates with Brazilian historiography, where scholars emphasize the importance of individual agency and cultural context in understanding historical processes. This perspective challenges deterministic views of history that ignore the complexities of social relations and the active role of individuals in shaping their circumstances (Stevenson, 2016; Burns, 2021). In Brazil, the interplay of diverse social movements, including those fighting for racial equality and environmental justice, highlights the diverse expressions of agency that EP Thompson highlighted in his work (Fuchs, 2021; Stevenson, 2016).
Thompson’s critique of structuralism has found particular resonance in Brazil due to our own historical experience of cultural resistance and adaptation. Brazilian religious syncretism, for example, demonstrates how subaltern groups were not merely passive recipients of cultural impositions, but active agents in the creation of new forms of expression and resistance. Likewise, the persistence of cultural practices of African origin, even under intense repression during the slavery period, illustrates the capacity for agency that EP Thompson so emphasized in his work. This perspective has been fundamental to a new understanding of Brazilian history, which values the capacity for action and resistance of subaltern groups.
Furthermore, the examination of income inequality and social policies in Brazil can be enriched by EP Thompson’s contributions on class dynamics. The redistributive effects of Brazilian tax and social spending policies reveal ongoing struggles between different social classes, echoing EP Thompson’s analysis of class formation as a historical and cultural process (Higgins & Pereira, 2013; Nerì, 2021). This understanding is crucial to addressing contemporary issues of inequality and social justice in Brazil, as it highlights the need for policies that are not only economically viable but also culturally aligned with the values of the affected communities (Higgins & Pereira, 2013; Nerì, 2021).
Thompson’s analysis of Brazilian social inequalities allows us to understand how public policies interact with the cultural expectations and values of communities. For example, the relative success of programs such as Bolsa Família cannot be attributed solely to their economic effectiveness, but also to their ability to respect and incorporate cultural values that are important to the communities they benefit from, such as women’s autonomy in managing family resources. Likewise, resistance to certain public policies can be better understood when we consider not only their economic aspects, but also their relationship with the moral values and expectations of the communities they affect.
The application of Thompsonian methodology to Brazilian historiography has proven particularly fruitful in the field of studies on contemporary urban social movements. For example, when analyzing urban occupation movements in large Brazilian cities, we can identify clear elements of Thompsonian moral economy: the idea of the right to housing is not based solely on material needs, but on a set of shared moral values about what constitutes a just city. Likewise, demonstrations against public transportation fare increases cannot be reduced to a simple question of ability to pay, but involve complex notions of urban rights and citizenship.
Finally, it is important to highlight how EP Thompson’s concepts have contributed to a more sophisticated understanding of the intersections between class, race, and gender in Brazilian society. The formation of the working class in Brazil, for example, cannot be understood without considering the legacy of slavery and the racial issues that permeate our society. Likewise, women’s participation in Brazilian social movements reveals how gender issues intertwine with class struggles, creating specific forms of resistance and organization. This intersectional perspective, although not explicitly theorized by Thompson, finds in its methodology valuable tools for a more complete and nuanced analysis of Brazilian social reality.
*Erik Chiconelli Gomes is a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Law at USP.
References
Burns, T. (2021). The concept of a social formation in the writings of EP Thompson and Ellen Meiksins Wood. Capital & Class, 46 (2), 257-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/03098168211029000
Calabrese, A. (2005). Communication, global justice and the moral economy. Global Media and Communication, 1 (3), 301-315. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766505058126
Fuchs, C. (2021). Revisiting the althusser/ep thompson-controversy: towards a marxist theory of communication., 49-77. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003142959-3-3
Higgins, S. and Pereira, C. (2013). The effects of Brazil's taxation and social spending on the distribution of household income. Public Finance Review, 42 (3), 346-367. https://doi.org/10.1177/1091142113501714
Lara, Silvia Hunold. Fields of Violence: Slaves and Masters in the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, 1750-1808. Rio de Janeiro: Peace and Land, 1988.
Laxer, G. and Palmer, B. (1984). The making of ep thompson: marxism, humanism, and history. The Canadian Journal of Sociology, 9 (2), 231. https://doi.org/10.2307/3340225
Malamud, A. (2011). A leader without followers? the growing divergence between the regional and global performance of brazilian foreign policy. Latin American Politics and Society, 53 (3), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-2456.2011.00123.x
Nerì, M. (2021). Brazil., 109-132. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863960.003.0005
Neri, Marcelo. Rising inequality: what impact has the crisis had on income distribution and poverty? New York: Routledge, 2021.
Stevenson, N. (2016). E. p. Thompson and cultural sociology: questions of poetics, capitalism and the commons. Cultural Sociology, 11 (1), 11-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1749975516655462
Thompson, Edward Palmer. The making of the English working class. Rio de Janeiro: Peace and Land, 1987.
Waters, H. (2022). Building merit: the moral economy of the illegal wildlife trade in rural, post-socialist eastern mongolia. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 64 (2), 422-445. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0010417522000081
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