https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8056-8407
"Comerciantes poderosos: o poder da palavra como moeda circulante no sertão do Pitangui setecentista".
A
pesquisa investiga como, no contexto do declínio da mineração em Minas Gerais
no final do século XVIII, comerciantes locais assumiram um papel central na
economia ao utilizar a confiança, a palavra
e o crédito como instrumentos de circulação e controle econômico.
Por
meio da análise de documentos judiciais preservados no Instituto Histórico de
Pitangui, exploro as chamadas “Ações de
Alma” e “Ações de Crédito”,
destacando as relações entre economia, moralidade e religiosidade na formação
de redes de dependência e poder local.
O artigo contribui
para as discussões sobre: Economia moral e práticas de crédito, Cultura jurídica e religiosidade no Brasil colonial, Dinâmicas de poder em sociedades de Antigo Regime e A centralidade da palavra como forma de valor.
Agradeço
à Revista História e Economia pelo acolhimento da pesquisa e convido colegas,
pesquisadores(as) e estudantes a acessarem, lerem e compartilharem.
Durante o período abordado no
artigo — o século XVIII —, o arraial de Sant’Ana
do Rio São João Acima, atual cidade de Itaúna, integrava a jurisdição da vila de Pitangui. Situado estrategicamente no
caminho dos sertões, o arraial era uma importante rota de passagem de tropeiros, o que favoreceu a
circulação de mercadorias, ideias e práticas comerciais. É muito provável que vários comerciantes poderosos mencionados no estudo
tenham atuado ou transitado por essa região, reforçando o papel do
território itaunense nas redes econômicas e creditícias do período colonial.
Referência:
A Revista
História e Economia do Instituto Lima Barreto para a Mobilidade Social é uma
publicação interdisciplinar editada pelo Instituto e pela Universidade de
Extremadura (UNEX), sendo dirigida por um conselho editorial composto por
professores de diferentes universidades, no Brasil, Espanha, Estados Unidos,
México e Portugal.
Instituto
Lima Barreto para a Mobilidade Social
Rua
Saubara, 189. Itanhangá.
Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22641-550
Universidade
de Extremadura
Departamento
de História
Avenida de Elvas s/n 06006 Badajoz, Espanha
Credit, Faith and Power: Trust as Currency in Colonial Brazil (18th Century)
In the late eighteenth century, in the region of Pitangui (Minas Gerais, Portuguese America), local economic dynamics were deeply shaped by the decline of gold mining and the resulting scarcity of metallic currency. In this context, systems of credit based on trust, reputation, and verbal commitment emerged not as peripheral mechanisms, but as central pillars of economic life.
This study examines the role of powerful merchants in structuring and sustaining these credit networks, highlighting how the “word” functioned as a form of currency. Drawing on judicial records—particularly Ações de Crédito (Credit Actions) and Ações de Alma (Soul Actions)—this analysis reveals how economic practices were inseparable from moral and religious frameworks.
Unlike modern financial systems grounded in formal contracts and institutional guarantees, credit relations in colonial Pitangui relied heavily on personal honor and social recognition. The credibility of an individual was constructed within a network of relationships, where reputation operated as both economic capital and social control mechanism.
Merchants occupied a strategic position within this system. Far from acting merely as intermediaries of goods, they functioned as key agents in the circulation of credit, establishing bonds of dependency and influence that extended across different social strata. Their power was not solely economic, but also symbolic, rooted in their capacity to mobilize trust and enforce obligations.
Judicial documentation provides crucial evidence of these dynamics. Through Ações de Crédito, creditors sought legal recognition of debts, often grounded in verbal agreements. Meanwhile, Ações de Alma reveal the intersection between economy and religiosity, as debts were framed not only as financial obligations but also as moral and spiritual commitments.
This intertwining of faith and economy reflects a broader cultural logic in which religious beliefs reinforced systems of accountability. The invocation of the “soul” in legal disputes underscores how trust was not merely a pragmatic tool, but a deeply embedded social value, sustained by shared moral expectations.
Furthermore, these credit networks contributed to the maintenance of social hierarchies. By controlling access to goods and credit, merchants reinforced structures of dependency, consolidating their position within the local power structure. In this sense, credit functioned not only as an economic instrument but also as a mechanism of social organization.
By situating local practices within wider historiographical debates, this study contributes to discussions on informal economies, the role of trust in pre-modern societies, and the intersections between religion and economic behavior. It also challenges simplified narratives of monetary scarcity by demonstrating the existence of complex and adaptive systems of exchange.
Ultimately, the case of Pitangui reveals that, in the absence of sufficient coinage, the “word” itself became a form of currency—one that circulated through networks of trust, honor, and faith, shaping both economic transactions and social relations in colonial Brazil.
