On fascism and its coming in Portugal: an interpretation essay with regard to some recent books

Abstract

The researcher on the recent history of Portugal meets with a work plan that imposes itself. This plan is the study of the nature and conditions for the coming, institutionalisation and durability of the Portuguese fascism. Therefore it is not surprising that several works recently published may deal, in a more or less direct way, with fascism in Portugal. The publication of these works gives, in its turn, the stimulus to try and go on with the making of that work plan. In this article, the attempt is limited to the moment of the coming of fascism, presenting not exactly a synthesis but mainly a bundle as articulated as possible of hypotheses which the future research will confirm or invalidate. These hypotheses - supported by material already elaborated in a considerable way - are formulated successively along the text subdivided into the following chapters: 1. Fascism or anything else? - 2. Did fascism occupy the «void space» left by the working-class movement? - 3. Petty-bourgeoisie and big capital in fascism. - 4. Landowners and industrialists in the processus of fascisation. - 5. The «historical compromise» of fascism in Portugal. - 6. A model for planned stagnation. - 7. Fascism without party? - 8. Fascism without popular impact? - 9. Country-side against town. - 10. Taking corporativism seriously. A compact discussion on these 10 points gives, at last, the first global interpretation about the origin of fascism in the Portuguese society, where the roles played by the different social classes are analysed acutely.