An explanatory anachronism between Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s origin of inequality and homeless people in the city of São Paulo

Abstract

This article investigates the persistence of urban inequality in São Paulo, specifically the homeless population situation, using Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men” as theoretical framework. The central problem analyzes why, despite the existence of comprehensive legal framework and public policies aimed at sustainable urban development, the homeless population has grown approximately four times since 2000, reaching 31,800 people in 2021 (municipal data) or up to 80,000 people according to Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais studies. The main hypothesis argues that there is an explanatory anachronism between Rousseauian theory about inequality’s origin through private property and the contemporary reality of São Paulo’s urban exclusion. The methodology employs comparative documentary analysis, statistical survey of official data on housing and homeless population, and examination of Brazilian urban legislation from the Federal Constitution to the municipal Master Plan. Results demonstrate that, paradoxically, São Paulo has 588,978 vacant homes while facing a housing deficit of 400,000 dwellings, revealing that real estate speculation and neoliberal “disposal culture” perpetuate social exclusion mechanisms described by Rousseau over two centuries ago. The conclusion shows that current urban inequality reproduces Rousseauian patterns of property concentration, evidencing the need for greater effectiveness in applying existing laws and cultural transformation to ensure basic rights and reduce urban vulnerabilities.