Education as an instrument of civilizational progress: analysis of Vicente de Carvalho's proposals for educational modernization in Santos (1889)

Abstract

The article examines Vicente de Carvalho's proposals for educational modernization in Santos at the end of the nineteenth century. Carvalho, influenced by Auguste Comte's positivism, argued that education was fundamental for civilizational and economic progress. He proposed the creation of a Municipal Academy of Commerce and a Public Library, arguing that the teaching of exact and natural sciences was essential for Brazil's industrial and economic development. The article contextualizes these proposals in the political and social scenario of the time, highlighting that education was considered a tool for modernization and progress. Carvalho believed that public education should go beyond classical education, providing technical and scientific knowledge to train the poor population to work in commerce and industry. His ideas reflect an effort to align Brazil with the educational practices considered advanced, which were observed in European and North American countries, aiming to transform Santos into a so-called modern city.