The Economy of Brazil is a comprehensive volume of essays that explores Brazil's economic development during the postwar period. It features contributions from both Brazilian and American economists, offering insights from those with deep knowledge of Brazil’s economic life. The book focuses on specific, in-depth analyses of Brazil’s transitional economy, going beyond broad macroeconomic aggregates often found in literature on developing countries. The essays cover a range of topics, including industrialization, inflation, urbanization, and the challenges of modernization in agriculture and education. Although the Brazilian economy has made substantial progress, it still faces significant issues such as demographic growth, migration to cities, and the need for diversified exports.

The book was inspired by the work of a group of economists from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the University of California at Berkeley, who visited Brazil between 1965 and 1967. Their primary task was to assist the Brazilian government in gathering and analyzing economic data for the formulation of the Ten Year Economic Plan. The essays in the volume reflect both their collaborative efforts with Brazilian economists and their findings, presenting a mix of factual information and theoretical discussions. They explore Brazil’s economic history, monetary policies, industrial and agricultural development, inflation, foreign trade, and economic planning. This volume does not attempt to cover the entire Brazilian economy but provides valuable perspectives on key economic challenges facing the country during its development.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1969.

Foreword by: Lincoln Gordon