Transport and Economic Dynamics in the Development of Maranhão

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the relations between transport infrastructure and the economic transformations that have followed in Maranhão since the end of the 20th century. It starts from the central point that transports are fundamental elements of the economic "modernization" movements experienced by the state since then, such as the expansion of the agricultural frontier, the implementation of large mining and, more recently, agro-industrial projects. To analyze such relations, we used data from the Brazilian Tree Industry, Empresa Maranhense de Administração Portuária, Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes, Departamento Nacional de Trânsito and Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, in addition to photographs of collections resulting from field research. The results indicate that "economic modernization" movements, supported by state actions and investments in road and rail modes, contributed to the structuring of a "modern" capitalism in the state, with a view to the production of mineral and agricultural commodities for the foreign market.