Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the late 18th century, slaves had been added to the list, with close to one million Africans
sold into slavery through Mozambique's ports.
Portugal's Power Struggle
In the 17th century the Portuguese attempted to strengthen their control by setting up
prazos
(vast agricultural estates) on land granted by the Portuguese crown or by wresting
control of it from local chiefs. This, however, did little more than consolidate power in the
hands of individual
prazeiros
(holders of the land grants).
The next major effort by the Portuguese to consolidate their control came in the late
19th century with the establishment of charter companies, operated by private firms who
were supposed to develop the land and natural resources within their boundaries. In reality
these charter companies operated as independent fiefdoms, and did little to consolidate
Portuguese control. Most were also economic failures, and they soon became notorious
for labour abuses and for the cruel and appalling conditions under which the local popula-
tions within their boundaries were forced to live.
With the onset of the 'Scramble for Africa' in the 1880s, when various European
powers competed to assert control over parts of the continent, Portugal was forced to
strengthen its claims in the region. In 1891 a British-Portuguese treaty was signed formal-
ising Portuguese control in the area.
The Early 20th Century
One of the most significant events in early-20th-century Mozambique was the large-scale
labour migration from the southern provinces to South Africa and Rhodesia (present-day
Zimbabwe). This exodus was spurred by expansion of the Witwatersrand goldmines and
by passage of a new labour law in 1899. The new law divided the Mozambican population
into non-indigenous (
não indígenas
or
assimilados
), who had full Portuguese citizenship
rights, and indigenous
(indígenas),
who were subject to the provisions of colonial law and
forced to work, to pay a poll tax and to adhere to passed laws.
Another major development was the growing economic importance of the southern part
of the country. As ties with South Africa strengthened, Lourenço Marques (now Maputo)
took on increasing importance as a major port and export channel and in the late 19th cen-
tury the Portuguese transferred the capital here from Mozambique Island.
In the late 1920s António Salazar came to power in Portugal. He sealed off the colonies
from non-Portuguese investment, abolished the remaining
prazos
and consolidated Por-
tuguese control over Mozambique. Overall, conditions for Mozambicans worsened con-
siderably.
