Some quantitative aspects of urban slavery in Recife (1827-1837): price, earnings, and interest rates

Drawing on data extracted from various texts and advertisements published by the Diário de Pernambuco between 1827 and 1837, this article aims to elucidate certain economic aspects of urban slavery in the Recife region. It particularly focuses on the price of captives, the gross and net value of the...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Andrada, Alexandre Flávio Silva
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)
Repositorio:Economia e Sociedade
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.periodicos.sbu.unicamp.br:article/8679098
Acceso en línea:https://periodicos.sbu.unicamp.br/ojs/index.php/ecos/article/view/8679098
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Slavery
Urban slavery
Pernambuco
Escravidão
Escravidão urbana
Escravos de ganho
Descripción
Sumario:Drawing on data extracted from various texts and advertisements published by the Diário de Pernambuco between 1827 and 1837, this article aims to elucidate certain economic aspects of urban slavery in the Recife region. It particularly focuses on the price of captives, the gross and net value of their earnings, and the interest rates on loans that used enslaved individuals as collateral. By presenting data at an individual level, the study reveals the significant complexity of societal relationships during this period, as evidenced by the substantial variation in the prices and earnings of captives. This complexity is often obscured in studies with a broader focus. The findings indicate that, on average, a slave hired out for ordinary labor could generate an income stream equivalent to their purchase price within a span of 4 to 6 years of work.