The Rural Exodus in the Context of Economic Crisis, Globalization and Reform in Brazil

Abstract

This article considers the rural exodus in Brazil between 1980 and 1991, a period of economic recession, globalization of agriculture, and neoliberal reforms. In this context, Brazil witnessed renewed capital penetration into agriculture, sustained employment growth in commerce and services, and rapid rural natural increase. As a result, rural populations in all regions of Brazil experienced losses due to net migration between 1980 and 1991 at a pace of over 1.4 million persons per year, a figure comparable to losses in previous decades. Further, rural-urban migration redistributed population to small urban areas as well as large metropolitan regions and included substantial interregional movement. These findings run counter to expectations, and the results suggest that rural-urban migration has proceeded in different historical and geographic contexts in Brazil.