In the 15th century, Portugal colonised territories in Africa, Asia and South America – the foundation of the wealth of the Portuguese upper class. A trade treaty signed in 1703 forced Portugal to subordinate itself economically to England. This impeded its own industrial development. Although the latter was initiated at the beginning of the 20th century with the help of foreign capital, Portugal remained characteristically rural, with large landholdings in the south and small tenants in the north.
In 1910, the monarchy was overthrown and a republic proclaimed. However, the social problems remained unresolved. There had been an organised labour movement since the middle of the 19th century. Anarcho-syndicalists founded the trade union confederation CGT (Confederação Geral do Trabalho) in 1919. The communist party PCP (Partido Comunista Português) was established in 1921.
English loans for participation in the First World War almost led to national bankruptcy. In 1926, the right-wing military staged a coup d’état, followed by the fascist dictatorship of the Estado Novo (New State).
Manuel Joaquim de Sousa (1883 – 1944), significant anarcho-syndicalist and trade union leader, speaks at a 1st May rally in Eduardo VII Park in Lisbon.
Portugal with the islands of Madeira and the Azores. The military airport on the Azores was indispensable for the US Army as a stopover until the 1970s.
Top: Portuguese colonies in the 16th century (green ) and around 1800 ( red).
Bottom: Portuguese colonies in the 20th century and the year of their independence.
Colour lithography on the occasion of the proclamation of the republic in October 1910. During the 16 years of the republic until 1926 there were 9 presidents, 44 governments, 25 uprisings and 3 short-term dictatorships.
Images
Fotógrafo não identificado, commons.wikimedia.org, Manuel_Joaquim_de_Sousa_-_discurso_em_comício.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0
David Liuzzo, commons.wikimedia.org, EU_location_POR.png, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Red Hat of Pat Ferrick, commons.wikimedia.org, The_Portuguese_Empire.png, gemeinfrei
Cândido da Silva, commons.wikimedia.org, Cândido_da_Silva_-_A_PROCLAMAÇÃO_DA_REPUBLICA_PORTUGUEZA;_Principaes_acontecimentos_em_Lisboa_a_5_de_Outubro_1910-Principaux_évenements_dans_le_5_Octobre_1910.jpg, gemeinfrei