História, etnia e na？？o: o índio e a forma？？o nacional sob a ótica de Caio Prado Júnior

in this article we discuss the argument that the race mixing was the fundamental factor for integrating the indian population in the brazilian dominant society. we focus our attention on the myth created about the race mixing and the foundation of the brazilian nation and on the race mixing as the main process of social integration of the indian population in the brazilian society. finally, we discuss some misleading conclusions that the race mixing has produced about this subject, which hinders a complete understanding about the indian contribution to the development of brazil and of the brazilian people. we consider the book from caio prado jr., formation of contemporary brazil as our main bibliographical source because its importance in the brazilian historiography.