In his historical study on the construction of the Tananarive-Antsirabe (TA) railway (1911-1923), Jean Fremigacci highlights the complexities of labor management during the colonial era. While initial reports from administrators in Tananarive and Vakinankaratra suggested an abundance of cheap, skilled labor, the reality was far more nuanced.
The author notes that the population of the Vakinankaratra region, particularly in the districts of Antsirabe and Betafo, possessed a tradition of independence, often avoiding contact with colonial authorities to escape taxation. This resistance led to a “dual labor market,” where European settlers struggled to recruit workers despite offering higher wages, while local landowners easily secured labor through traditional, non-monetary social ties.
Fremigacci explains that for many local peasants, wage labor was merely a seasonal supplement to their subsistence farming, insufficient to cover living costs beyond basic tax obligations. This structural mismatch, combined with the population’s historical tendency to retreat into the mountains to avoid colonial oversight, created persistent labor challenges for the railway project.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-07 05:38:46 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/main-duvre-difficile-trouver-dans-le.html