The Beira railway in Mozambique (1890-1914): between technodiplomatic antagonism and economic symbiosis

Abstract

Because of a treaty signed between Portugal and England, in 1892 a British Company controlled by Cecil Rhodes’ BSAC began the construction of a railway between the Mozambican harbor of Beira and the Rhodesian frontier. Despite the fears of denationalization of the Portuguese territories, construction and operation were conducted almost without any inspection from Portuguese authorities. The line cost Portugal nothing and its cross-border operation became rather efficient. In this paper, I aim to explain this historical process, using the concepts of large transnational technological systems, cross-borders, landlocked countries, and technodiplomacy.