The action of comissão pastoral da terra’ s members to promote public policies in order to combat the reduction of rural workers to condition analogous to slavery

Abstract

The exploitation of labor in conditions analogous to slavery is a social problem characterized nationally as a criminal offense for violating the human rights of employees. According to estimates of [Pastoral Land Comission] Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT) between 25 thousand and 30 thousand people are annually compelled to work in conditions analogous to slavery in Brazil. The objective of this research is to investigate the social practice of CPT agents to change the conflicting reality and violation of the rights of rural workers in socio-political spheres since the idea of its foundation in 1971. CPT agents made effort to federal government’s recognition of the problem, and with the employees, they together participate in public policies formulation to prevent, combat and eradicate labor in conditions analogous to slavery in the countryside. The attitudes, actions, reactions, procedures and social practices carried out by the social agents of CPT in order to push the federal government to formulate public policies for the deletion of labor in conditions analogous to slavery in Brazil are the central object of this sociological investigation. This study’s theoretical frame of reference is based on agency theory – structuration theory – proposed by Anthony Giddens. It is a qualitative research found on document analysis. The documents are analyzed in depth as reported by John Thompson’s hermeneutic.