The Portuguese Revolution of 1974-1975: An Unexpected Path to Democracy

Portugal is close to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution. While this central moment in contemporary Portuguese history has long attracted international academic interest, there is a dearth of studies that explain the interrelationships between the main issues that singled out this revolutionary moment. The aims and actions of the three main protagonists - the Armed Forces, the political parties and mass social organizations - are linked in myriad ways: the political role of the Armed Forces; the crisis of state authority; the political justice formulas adopted; the affirmation of civilian political elites; the role of workers and neighbourhood movements, and other forms of popular mobilization; participation of the media in the political struggle; and post the momentous days, the transition from coup d'彋at to revolution. The dominant moments and themes of the Portuguese revolution are relayed by close examination of original archival documentation; oral and written primary sources; and government records. Was military disquiet at the heart of the move toward democracy? Or was the instigator the growing dissatisfaction of the populace with the pol