Vida, Trabalho e Dilemas Identitários dos caixeiros no norte do país (1889-1921)

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the experiences of commercial workers in the cities of Manaus and Belém between 1889 and 1921, focusing on their multiple engagements in the workplace, the press, and daily urban life. The study analyzes how these individuals constructed a class identity marked by ambivalences and contradictions, at times aligning with the popular classes and at other times seeking social distinction. The workers' press played a central role in political expression and organization, especially during mobilizations for the closure of stores on Sundays. Six newspapers produced by the workers themselves were examined: O Caixeiro (Belém, 1889), A Voz do Caixeiro (Belém, 1890), O Restaurador (Manaus, 1890), O Imparcial (Manaus, 1890), O Empregado no Comércio (Belém, 1899), e Tribuna do Caixeiro (Manaus, 1908). Education, particularly through night classes, emerged as a strategy for social mobility. Legal complaints filed by employees against their employers were also analyzed, revealing dimensions of their struggle for rights. This research aims to understand how these workers shaped meanings of belonging and forged a collective identity beyond formal associations.