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Fascism and Resistance in Portugal: Communists, Liberals and Military Dissidents in the Opposition to Salazar, 1941-1974
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1988
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July 28, 2021
This interesting book is a history of the resistance to António Salazar’s fascist state, Portugal’s Estado Novo, 1933-1974. Members of the political opposition were arrested by the state police, beaten, and thrown in prisons like the infamous Peniche Fortress outside Lisbon and the Tarrafal camp in Cabo Verde, where many were tortured, and many died. Others were shot in the streets during public protests. Many stories of the bravery of members of the resistance are remarkable.
Raby focuses on the activity of the Portuguese Communist Party, which was a key force in the resistance through most of this period. The efforts of the resistance varied over time in terms of which groups were involved and what their strategies were, depending partly on world events, partly on internal disagreements, and partly on the degree to which the regime was inclined to be harsh or to throw crumbs to the people.
The end of World War One, the Russian Revolution, and the Great Depression all led to increased support for communist and socialist parties. World War Two saw the rise of fascist governments in Germany, Italy, and Spain. Support for the resistance grew toward the end of WWII when it became clear that German and Italian fascism would fall. This support dropped precipitously when the Cold War created a strong backlash against communism.
Urban workers were the main supporters of the communist party. The party tried at times to partner with many groups – rural peasants, left-leaning intellectuals, the Catholic church, the military, political liberals – with varying success. In the 1960s worldwide waves of public protest also influenced Portugal to a degree, and the church and student groups grew influential in the resistance.
In the end, though, it was a rebellion among military officers, in reaction against the conduct of the colonial wars in Angola, Mozambique, and Guiné (Guinea-Bissau) that led to the quick, nearly bloodless coup of the Carnation Revolution on 25 April 1974. This book doesn’t describe Salazar or his regime in detail; you may want a separate book on these subjects, e.g., https://is.gd/WKRNr7.
Raby focuses on the activity of the Portuguese Communist Party, which was a key force in the resistance through most of this period. The efforts of the resistance varied over time in terms of which groups were involved and what their strategies were, depending partly on world events, partly on internal disagreements, and partly on the degree to which the regime was inclined to be harsh or to throw crumbs to the people.
The end of World War One, the Russian Revolution, and the Great Depression all led to increased support for communist and socialist parties. World War Two saw the rise of fascist governments in Germany, Italy, and Spain. Support for the resistance grew toward the end of WWII when it became clear that German and Italian fascism would fall. This support dropped precipitously when the Cold War created a strong backlash against communism.
Urban workers were the main supporters of the communist party. The party tried at times to partner with many groups – rural peasants, left-leaning intellectuals, the Catholic church, the military, political liberals – with varying success. In the 1960s worldwide waves of public protest also influenced Portugal to a degree, and the church and student groups grew influential in the resistance.
In the end, though, it was a rebellion among military officers, in reaction against the conduct of the colonial wars in Angola, Mozambique, and Guiné (Guinea-Bissau) that led to the quick, nearly bloodless coup of the Carnation Revolution on 25 April 1974. This book doesn’t describe Salazar or his regime in detail; you may want a separate book on these subjects, e.g., https://is.gd/WKRNr7.
Displaying 1 of 1 review