Desenvolvimento econômico e pobreza no Ceará

Abstract

The present work intends to investigate the origins and evolution of the poverty phenomenon in Ceará from a historical perspective. The need to propose solutions to this phenomenon motivates economists to look at their concepts, causes and impacts. In view of this, this monograph, through the methods of bibliography review and analysis of secondary data, seeks to diagnose the current situation of the state of Ceará by identifying the causes of the social problems faced and the impacts of the public policies under the different optics of analysis. Based on the state's economic development history, low-value-added activities and the lack of public investments in the region impeded Ceará's economic growth over a long period. However, with the largest volume of investments in credit and income transfer policies in the last decades, Ceará and the Northeast region experienced significant economic and social advances. But studies indicate that the recent crisis of 2015 and the adoption of austere policies threaten to restrain the development of the Brazilian welfare state, putting at risk these achievements. The conclusions of the present study indicate that despite the evolution of poverty indicators and income distribution, there has not been a significant change in the social structure, thus, economic crises and changes in the conduct of economic and social policies threaten Brazilian social advances, mainly those of the population concentrated in the Northeast region