Modernidade urbana e dominação da natureza: o saneamento de Pelotas nas primeiras décadas do século XX

Abstract

The article deals with the urban improvement plans and the hygienistic thought in the city of Pelotas, Brazil. We seek to describe the evolution of the hygienism in a society which realized the late transition from slavery to the capitalist and industrial economy. The changes that have been produced in the urban morphology are also outlined. Pelotas, in the early 19 century was a very important industrial center and was receipting the innovations of both economic progress and social modernity. We wanted to caractherize the evolution of the hygienistic thought in the city, since the first iniciatives with social impact, until the general plans of reform and urban improvement that have impacted both in the urban morphology and social space’s organization. The paper explains that despite the hygienist discourse, many hygienic rules have not been executed in the city and concludes that its sanitation may be distinguished with a tool of the social order control as well as an innovative project. Key-words: Hhygienism – Urban morphology – Urban history – Urbanization – City of Pelotas (Brazil).