Europe and Liberal Democracy

In this episode, the final one of our first season, I discuss democratic consolidation in Portugal between 1975 and 1976. Additionally, I talk about the defeat of the Communist Party. I finish up with a discussion of how Europe today is changed by the extraordinary involvement of the EEC in keeping Portugal democratic and how that remains important today.Bibliography:Constitute Project. "Portugal 1976 (rev. 2005) Constitution." Accessed May 26, 2026. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Portugal_2005.European Council. "Conclusions of the European Council, Brussels, 16-17 July 1975." Archive of European Integration. July 1975. https://aei.pitt.edu/1427/1/brussels_july_1975.pdf.Story, Jonathan. "Portugal’s Revolution of Carnations: Patterns of Change and Continuity." International Affairs 52, no. 3 (July 1976): 417–33. https://doi.org/10.2307/2616554.The New York Times. "Aid to Portugal Expected." October 2, 1975. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/10/02/archives/aid-to-portugal-expected.html.The New York Times. "Portugal Quells Military Revolt." November 27, 1975. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/27/archives/portugal-quells-military-revolt-casualties-light-security-chief.html.

In this episode, I begin by discussing the Carnation Revolution itself. Next, I discuss the political dysfunction that comes after the coup. Additionally, I talk about the issue of the colonies for the new Portuguese government, whose main goal was to end colonial wars. Through all of this I mention the huge influence Europe had on Portugal throughout this whole experience.Bibliography:Giniger, Henry. "Portugal’s Socialist Party Pulls out of Government." The New York Times, July 11, 1975. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/07/11/archives/portugals-socialist-party-pulls-out-of-government-portuguese.html.Maxwell, Kenneth. "The Consolidation of Political Democracy in Portugal: Some Unanswered Questions." Portuguese Studies 5 (1989): 161–77. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41104887.Rodrigues, Luís Nuno. "António de Spínola and the International Context of Portuguese Decolonization." Luso-Brazilian Review 50, no. 2 (2013): 93–117. https://doi.org/10.2307/43905285.The New York Times. "Portugal on the Brink?" August 9, 1975. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/09/archives/portugal-on-the-brink.html.The New York Times. "Portugal’s Army Seizes Control and Proclaims Democratic Goal; Caetano’s Surrender Announced." April 26, 1974. https://www.nytimes.com/1974/04/26/archives/protugals-army-seizes-control-and-proclaims-democratic-coal-at.html.

In this episode, I set the stage for the beginning of the Carnation Revolution. I bring 3 main causes:Diplomatic Repression in Portugal under Salazar with the PIDEWar in the ColoniesFinancial Pressure from the European Economic CommunityI then talk about the leadup to the coup itselfBibliography:Fishman, Robert M. "What 25 April Was and Why It Mattered." Portuguese Studies 34, no. 1 (2018): 20. https://doi.org/10.5699/portstudies.34.1.0020.Gallagher, Tom. "Controlled Repression in Salazar's Portugal." Journal of Contemporary History 14, no. 3 (1979): 385–402. https://www.jstor.org/stable/260013.Story, Jonathan. "Portugal's Revolution of Carnations: Patterns of Change and Continuity." International Affairs 52, no. 3 (July 1976): 417–33. https://doi.org/10.2307/2616554.Wikipedia. "Estado Novo (Portugal)." Accessed May 25, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estado_Novo_(Portugal).