From the colonial order to the modern city: creation and adaptations of the Code of Postures of Cuiabá – MT

Abstract

This article critically analyzes the formation and adaptation of the Code of Postures of Cuiabá-MT, from the 19th century to the present day. The main objective is to demonstrate how this legislation transcended its technical-administrative function to become a political project for the construction, regulation, and disciplining of urban space and social life. The research, of a historical-normative nature, is based on the documentary analysis of primary and secondary sources, covering laws, resolutions, and legislative debates. The results indicate a paradigmatic evolution: the nineteenth-century codes (1837, 1881), influenced by hygienist ideals, focused on aesthetic standardization, public health, and the control of customs, such as the repression of batuques. The 1922 code represented an advancement in planning by introducing zoning and aesthetic control through a specific commission. The laws of 1967 and 1976 mark the transition to functional management, incorporating the control of modern noises and the first concerns with environmental pollution. Finally, the 1992 legislation consolidated an integrated approach, with specific codes for the Sanitary, Environmental, and Public Works areas. It is concluded that the Code of Postures was a central device of governmentality that actively shaped the city and its social hierarchies.