The transport of agrarian products by railway in Spain (1941-1959): a trial of management autarkic

Abstract

The Spanish economy between 1939 and 1959 was characterized by the implementation of autarkic policies that affected especially in the development of the industrial network. In this context, the broad gauge railways were nationalized in 1941 and integrated into a new company, the National Network of Spanish Railways (RENFE). One of the daunting tasks that should take the new company was nationalized management and control of strategic transport agricultural products such as cereals, sugar beet, oil or orange, among others. However, for this purpose was created a supervisory authority, the Government Office for the Management of Transportation (DGOT), which became directly dependent Franco and had a clearly militarized management.