The Portuguese in Business in Guyana 1835-1935: A History of Entrepreneurship, Expansion, and Diversification

The Portuguese in Business in Guyana 1835-1935: A History of Entrepreneurship, Expansion and Diversification is a groundbreaking study of the entrepreneurship of the Portuguese immigrants in that territory. This book examines the entrepreneurial ventures by the Portuguese as well the expansion and diversification into new enterprises.This book chronicles the growth and development of prominent Portuguese-owned businesses in Guyana (then British Guiana) and assesses the impact of the Portuguese merchants on the colony. It’s an in-depth documentation of the Portuguese merchant community, new information is presented on the stages of growth of entrepreneurship from the 1830s, female Portuguese entrepreneurs, partnerships, insolvency, successes, naturalization and movement into the politic arena. These are examined in light of the economic challenges of the post-emancipation period and into the 20th century.This body of work is therefore a tremendous contribution to the scholarship on the Portuguese in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. It acts as a revisionist work on the Portuguese immigrants in the 19th century and new information is presented for the 20th century. When paired with the re-examination of the views expressed by previous writers, this book has resulted in what promises to be a new dimension of the business history of Guyana. Read more