Trabalho e sociabilidade urbana: motoristas e condutores de bondes em Manaus, 1899-1927

Abstract

The present work seeks to investigate and analyze the multiple dimensions of the universe of tram drivers and conductors in the city of Manaus from 1899 to 1927. We have inquired about their conditions of life, work and organization, thus seeking to find out to what extent the processes of domination and resistance develop in the city scenario allowed that these workers could present original solutions to the problems that were put to them over time. The need to know this urban universe in particular is due in particular to the fact that, acting as concrete historical subjects, these workers, anonymous builders of the much-publicized material progress of the city during the "rubber period", failed to get proper attention from regional historiography. And so, their unseen yearnings, their disregarded political wills, their protests, strikes, and systematically ignored demands were not properly recorded. However, their presence in the city was far from insignificant or passive. In this respect, we focus here on the wall movements and the sociability of these subjects, highlighting some aspects of their political activities and the social relations of production to which they were subjected.