Class and State: unions and the Agrarian Reform

Abstract

The action of the unions of agricultural workers during the period between April 25, 1974 and the middle of 1976 is one of the most interesting aspects of the Portuguese revolution and Agrarian Reform. In this article the author analyses, in an exhaustive way, such an action, that was developed with a considerable efficiency in several domains: As traditional class organizations, these unions negotiated collective work contracts, developed associationism and gave unity and expression to the claims of the workers. As a counter-power, they secured the centralization of the management of the new production units from their embrionary state on and co-ordinated their actions at the regional level. As mass organizations, dealing with some political issues as they were not so the most important recruiting agency for this party in the districts embraced by the Agrarian Reform. Furthermore they were an excellent mediator between the Communist Party and other political or professional organizations, dealing with some political issues as they were not so apparently. They presented themselves also as representatives of the centers of political power (provisional governments and Movement of the Armed Forces) and of the organs of Public Administration. Lastly they organizations, dealing with some political issues as they were not so vertical structure of the State power. To the last aspect, given its peculiarity,
is paid a special attention in this article.