As políticas ferroviárias ibéricas (1845-1860)

Abstract

Portugal and Spain started to invest in railways about 15 years after other countries in Europe did the same. The strategies pursued by both these countries were rather different. Whereas Spain tried to create a legal framework wide enough to compass all the details of construction, Portugal opted for a more flexible approach, which could adapt to specific contexts. Comparing the Spanish bibliography about these issues with the Portuguese parliamentary debates and approved laws, the following text aims do describe and explain both countries railway strategies and how the Spanish approach brought an earlier success to this nation.