Police system and State building in Portugal, c. 1870-1900

Abstract

This article examines the political process of institutionalization of civilian police forces in all Portuguese districts, with the exception of Lisbon and Porto, which took place at the end of the nineteenth-century. Integrating this issue in the discussions about the characteristics and dynamics of the construction of the Liberal State and the weakness of the police system in Portugal, the article analyzes the chronology, the triggering factors, the resistances, negotiations, and political compromises that led to the spread of these police institutions across the country.