Wilson Cano: um ensaio sobre o legado de um Economista Heterodoxo

Abstract

This essay aims to critically review Wilson Cano’s intellectual trajectory, situating it within the heterodox tradition of the Campinas School. The methodology is based on an extensive bibliographical review of the author’s works and on a historical-structural analysis that articulates economy, space, and society. The examination of these sources highlights three central axes: (i) the demonstration that Brazilian industrialization was concentrated and generated profound regional inequalities; (ii) the early criticism of the financial and technological dependence that led to the deindustrialization and reprimarization of the country; and (iii) the defense of a planning State capable of promoting autonomous development, innovation, and territorial cohesion. The results confirm that Cano contributed decisively to reinterpreting the formation of the Brazilian economy, denouncing the structural limitations of the current model and offering theoretical references for an alternative national project. It is concluded that his production remains current: by explaining the risks of financialization and territorial fragmentation, it offers indispensable parameters for formulating industrial, technological, and regional policies guided by public interest and sovereignty.