Peasants in northern Portugal: «conservatism» or strategies of survival, mobility and resistance?

Abstract

The author attempts to explain the diversity of the peasants' behaviour in northern Portugal, particularly their named «conservatism», their passiveness and «submissiveness», which have favoured the conservative block and even have become its main supporting and standby force during the XIX and XX centuries. Frequently economic, moral and/or psychological, political and cultural factors are unilaterally presented as determinants to explain peasants' behaviour. Taking into account the current patterns and theories on the problem, but without elevating such factors as universal categories, the author values and tests their validity and consistency according to the results of his research work. He focuses on the peasants' rationality and their strategies of survival, mobility and resistance and proposes the following hypothesis: a) peasants are adverse to incur any risks and will make all the efforts to survive as either small landowners or tenant farmers, and b) peasants will make all the efforts to improve their situation or conquer other relatively autonomous class position. At last, peasants' revolt or submissiveness depend on the presence or absence of some real economic and /or political power. The attitude of each group/family in the village relies on its economic position and its place in the patronage system.