The reforms of local government between 1872 and 1910

Abstract

Five local government reforms occurred in Portugal in the last quarter of the 19^th century - 1878, 1886, 1892, 1895 and 1900. On the other hand, five administrative codes have been produced during the same period - those of 1878, 1886, 1895, 1896 and 1900. In spite of the disturbing consequences of this fact, a tacit agreement was possible between local societies and the State, concerning the capacity of local governments to perform some duties. How does this apparent performing diversity combine with the coexistence without major convulsions of local government and both the tutelage and supervision of the State? The author has a research project under course on Portugal's history of local political life between the liberalism crisis, in the early 90s of the 19^th century, and the last years of the autarchic Estado Novo (1959). It comprises, among others, the subject of the territorial local system as a means of regulation between the center (State) and the periphery (local societies). This study, which focuses on the legislative texts and the political debate about the administrative codification, attempts to analyse which way the changes took in connection with the consequences of the crisis of liberalism.