Os párias da modernidade na "terra da luz": "a gente ínfima" de Fortaleza no processo de regulação da mão de obra urbana (1877 - 1912)

Abstract

The domestic servants issue ran parallel to the discussions about the liberation of the slaves and has survived after Brazilian Abolition of slavery. It has also been crucial to the project of modernity of ruling classes, in the State of Ceará, since the 1870s. Such a subject matter concerned maintaining social hierarchies and was as much significant for slave traders as for abolitionists. Both intended to control free and freed workforce during the modernization process, focused on dominant families. Modernization required the inclusion (not without resistance) of a working ethos. For this purpose, several modes of policing the poor were established. The latter used to organize parties in order to occupy urban spaces, creating resistance enclaves, which can be understood as an expression of their worldview. Therefore, laughter turned to be an expression of a habitus of living. In this way, the resistance used to happen, in a veiled manner, by paternalism, and, in an opened one, by escapes, for instance. Servants used to escape as slaves also used to, since a long time, in seventh century. Consequently, it was determining to control servants as a way of accomplishing this modernity imposed by ruling classes. If poor were family-centered, they must be disciplined since there. Their way of living and livelihood clashed with what it is understood as civilized. However, what was most worrying for their tenants and guardians was the possibility for servants to become aware of their importance for dominant family structure. If they stopped working, this structure would be at risk, as well as the modern asymmetry which produced its outcasts, the dangerous classes, the “gente ínfima”.