Para além dos números: o Ibre e a história dos índices econômicos no Brasil

Abstract

The Brazilian Institute of Economicas of the Fundação Getulio Vargas was founded in 1951 and since then has had a pioneer role in preparing and publishing economic data. The economists on its staff not only founded economics teaching and research in Brazil, but have held key-positions in Brazilian governments: its directors Eugênio Gudin, Octavio Gouvêa de Bulhões and Mário Henrique Simonsen were at different moments ministers of Economy and Finance and minister for Planning. In this article about institutional history, compiled from the testimonies of IBRE's researchers, we want to discuss two issues that we consider especially relevant: the classical relationship between technical institutions and the world of politics, and the constitution of a special identity for economists dealing with applied economics.