Labour without pleasantry: poor children and work in Mariana (1850-1900)

Abstract

Our intent for this paper consists in a investigation over the interest for the use of children as labourers in the properties of Mariana in the second half of 19th century. Since the decline of mining, Mariana concentrated on food production as its main economic activity, both for subsistence or to supply its own province and export to others. The focused period constitutes a transition from the slavery system to free labor one. At that time, the argumentation about how the transition would be made was incited. One of the alternatives idealized national free labour as a substitute for slave labour. In these circumstances, the little workers could represent a feasible alternative, therefore they
offered easier subjugation conditions (fatiguing labor journeys, lowermost or no remuneration at all, punishments, etc.), besides a long life perspective. The factors that introduce children into the labor world are associated to orfanhood and survival difficulties, which often forced the children from poor families to face daily toil or even to leave in search of work in strange houses, in order to contribute or even support their own families. We will consult tutelage records, tutelage transfers, criminal suits and the 1872 census.