The «Associação Comercial do Porto» within the Portugueses political and economical context, specially that of the north of the country (second quarter of the 19th century)

Abstract

The «Associação Comercial do Porto» was incorporated by the end of 1834. Either by defending the established interests or by becoming the dynamic, implementai force for new business undertakings, the Association intended to act as the only legitimate representant of the Oporto commercial and industrial sphere. In fact, the «Associação Comercial do Porto» proved to be an association where the small and medium Port Wine traders had the hegemony, and in a few years time it became completely isolated within the northern milieu. Since 1839, under the pressure of the Port Wine export crisis, it showed upits true light, i.e. in the key corporative position of a specific group of traders. The «Associação Comercial do Porto» was unable to overcome a strictly regional and sectorial view on the problems; therefore, while progressively and inflexibly defending some solutions contradictory with the demands of a national economic policy, the Association lost the capacity of attracting allies to its own cause and progressively reduced the space of dialogue with the governments of Lisbon. The hide-bound hostility or opposition to «Lisbon», regardless the political «colour» of the governments ruling there, cut the «Associação Comercial do Porto» off from interlocutors - in spite of the great number of personal friends - and from some efficient pressure channels close to the central power. The obstinated engagement in a lost battle, such as the customs agreement with Great Britain, transformed the negociations into a political defeat for the Association itself.