The Tananarive-Antsirabe (TA) railway line offered more than just the stimulation of a robust peasant economy. As administrators often reiterated, its climate was ideal for European settlers and investors, whose influx into the central regions was expected to accelerate with the creation of the TA line.
In his study on colonial development and forced labor, historian Jean Fremigacci highlighted the region’s appeal, noting the potential for new crops such as wheat, barley, and mulberry, alongside mineral wealth like gold, precious stones, and uranium. With the railway, Antsirabe was envisioned to become a major commercial and industrial hub.
The 1911 gamble on the TA proved sound in later years, driven by the increased traffic on the Tananarive-East Coast (TCE) line and the economic mobilization during the war years. However, the colonial administration launched the project not based on profitability studies, but because it appeared relatively easy to execute.
Despite the reputation for rigor of Governor-General Albert Picquié, the project faced financing hurdles. The French metropole refused to allow the colony to increase its debt, a stance justified by Minister of Colonies Lebrun with arguments that reflected a pre-capitalist, usurious mentality. The administration argued that because Madagascar lacked sufficient population, it could not absorb large capital injections.
Consequently, the colony had to fund the 16-million-franc project on its own. This was achieved through extreme financial prudence, which resulted in a bloated reserve fund but caused severe deflation, stifling trade in the provinces and sacrificing local public works and medical assistance. The focus on the TA project, while urgent for the railway network, ultimately failed to address the broader economic difficulties of the colony.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-06 05:39:22 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/entre-micmac-financier-et-avarice.html