Celso Furtado and the crossroads of development

Abstract

This article presents the main features of the life and work of Celso Furtado, paying special attention to the most important aspects of his scholarly contributions in the fields of the history, theory and policy of economic development. Celso Furtado has played a crucial role in the definition of the tenets and programme of the un Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA – CEPAL) in the early 1950’s. His technical and political experience in this commission would be further implemented throughout his career as officer and minister responsible for the development of economic policies in Brazil, before the military coup in 1964, which would imply Furtado’s exile. He took large advantages from that political experience, namely as regards the development of his theoretical and doctrinal contributions. He also proved to be quite influential on Portuguese authors who read Furtado aiming at the use of his arguments as a doctrinal framework for economic development in Portugal at the final stage of the authoritarian regime. This article focuses in particular this less known aspect of the influence of Furtado in Portuguese social scientists.