Novos elementos para a história do Banco do Brasil (1808-1829): crónica de um fracasso anunciado

Abstract

The primary sources available for the history of the first Banco do Brasil, created by Charter on 12 October 1808 and terminated by law on 23 September 1829, continue to be sparse and dispersed. Nevertheless, the expectation that some archival materials will be located remains valid, thereby allowing documentary proof to be obtained that can corroborate or revise the analyses that have been produced about the history of the first (Luso-)Brazilian banking institution. This article uses unpublished sources and coeval witnesses who have been ignored or have received little coverage in the historiography of Banco do Brasil, seeking in this way to contribute with new elements for the analysis of its mission and performance. It is plausible to admit that other relevant material will be located in the future, as a natural consequence of modernization processes and the making of

The Saga of Teofila Slavery and Credit Circulation in 19th-Century Rio de Janeiro

“…Unlike the private banks operating in the North Atlantic at the time, the Bank of Brazil had a monopoly on emission and was heavily used to finance government spending. Continually operating with a deficit, the bank became insolvent and closed its doors in 1829 (Cardoso 2010;Franco 1973;Peláez and Suzigan 1981). After that, the city (and Brazil) went for almost an entire decade without a single bank in operation, and a more robust banking structure would only be seen by the mid-1850s.…”

Inequality and tax regressivity during the Brazilian independence (1808-1836)

“…In his analysis of the First Bank of Brazil's founding and operation, José Luis Cardoso found that the Bank had been created initially to accelerate the Court's expenses, to provide cash for commercial transactions to make public works. Even after Independence, according to the author, debt solutions and the constant issuance of duciary money were continued, with no apparent changes in that role during the Johannine period (Cardoso, 2010).…”