A queda de um império: narrativas da falência do Banco Mauá Cia. na imprensa da Corte e no parlamento (1874-1875)

Abstract

To deal with the bankruptcy process of Banco Mauá & Cia., we need to go back in time and understand the entire trajectory of Mauá's financial business. Many of the historical events that affect it are not restricted to Brazil, but also encompass Europe, North America and Latin America, especially Uruguay, whose political and economic context contributed to the failure of its bank. This trajectory began in Brazil with the creation of Banco do Brasil, in 1851, whose activities were ended after the merger, forced by the State, with Banco Comercial do Rio de Janeiro. This first experience was succeeded by Sociedade Bancária Mauá, MacGregor & Cia., which in a few years became an important banking establishment and which, in its twelve years of activity, opened several branches in Brazil and abroad, facing two important economic crises: those of 1857 and 1864. The consequences of these crises, especially that of 1864, generated negative short and long-term impacts for the institution, forcing Mauá to reorganize its businesses and, finally, to create Banco Mauá & Cia. in Brazil. This work investigates the bankruptcy of this bank in the bibliography and documental sources, in order to reconstruct how this process was narrated in the press and discussed in the Brazilian parliament. Through this reconstruction, it is possible to notice different interpretations of the process and positions – supporting or criticizing Mauá – which reveal how much his financial business and, consequently, the ultimate bankruptcy of his bank, were imbricated in political issues, which partially corroborates the version presented by Mauá in his Autobiography.