Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City

Book Club #8. Lesson: not all Pulitzer Prize winners are built the same.

About the Book:

Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City

 

 Summary: 

"In 1927, Henry Ford, the richest man in the world, bought a tract of land twice the size of Delaware in the Brazilian Amazon. His intention was to grow rubber, but the project rapidly evolved into a more ambitious bid to export America itself, along with its golf courses, ice-cream shops, bandstands, indoor plumbing, and Model Ts rolling down broad streets."

 

Characters:

• Henry Ford
• Amazonians
• Workers

 

Questions:

1. What did you think about the book and author's writing style?
2. What were Ford's motivations for his actions?
3. Was Fordlandia a success? What is it's current state?
4. What does this say about American capitalism? Can it be successful in other parts of the world?
5. What are the economic and worldwide ramifications of Ford's innovative method of manufacturing and production?

Conversation Summary:

Discussion topics:

• book was full of random facts and details not necessary for narrative
• author thorough in research but style was difficult to read- lack of flow, ending jumps to ethical questions in completely different realms such as US invading Iraq
• Henry Ford background and rise to power
• Ford appeared crazy. Do rich, powerful people all become crazy and lose touch with reality or does that thinking bring them to power?
• Ford's production style - simplify production down to basic components and put people in charge of a small component. Method may only be beneficial for certain type of work and not translatable to certain industries or types of products.
• American capitalism harmful to Amazonians and broke down traditional, cultural values and lifestyle. Ford personally tried to control lifestyles of all aspects of life for workers. Focus on money and competition. Monetary gain does not correlate with increased quality of life.
• Fordlandia was size of small state. Large chunk of Amazon destroyed and now facilities deserted. Interested in lives of people raised and lived in Fordlandia. Children raised and educated by Fordlandia rules, lack future outside of plant operations, though born and raised in Brazil lack local culture. 
• Fordlandia was a fail

2/3 bears finished book and 0/3 loved it

References:

1.  Fordlandia (2008) - man born and raised in Fordlandia returns to see facilities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2SpGRuwqA4

2. Interview with Greg Grandin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsKukVL3Hms

2. Fordlandia in the Amazon - al Jazeera report
http://wn.com/fordlandia_in_the_amazon