The Carnation Revolution or Portoguese Revolution of 1974 refers to a military coup and the resulting unrest which brought down the fascist regime in Portugal and led to numerous progressive reforms and nearly created self-management in industry. Occurring on the 25th of April, 1974, the revolution was part of a wider chain of global revolts against authoritarian governments and cultures.
Background
The Carnation Revolution had several causes, notably:
- Conscription of thousands of young men into the unpopular Portuguese Colonial War
- Growing popularity of leftist ideas among the south
Events
Military Coup
Near-Revolution
Portugal
US Interference
An excerpt from William Blum's book Rogue State provides the best summary US interference:
A bloodless military coup in 1974 brought down the US-supported 48-year fascist regime that was the world's only remaining colonial power. This was followed by a program centered on nationalization of major industries, workers' control, a minimum wage, land reform and other progressive measures. Washington and multinational officials who were on the board of directors of the planet were concerned. Destabilization became the order of the day: covert actions; attacks in the US press; subverting trade unions; subsidizing opposition media; economic sabotage through international credit and commerce; heavy financing of selected candidates in elections; a US cut-off of Portugal from certain military and nuclear information commonly available to NATO members; NATO naval and air exercises off the Portuguese coast, with 19 NATO warships moored in Lisbon’s harbor, regarded by most Portuguese as an attempt to intimidate the provisional government. The Portuguese revolution was doomed. The CIA-financed candidates took and retained power for years.
Results
Socio-Economic Development
The new Portugal, while very flawed, saw major gains following the end of the dictatorship, notably:
- Creation of a socially democratic universal healthcare and education system.
- Excellent medical services, reduction of infant mortality from 55.5 per 1,000 births (around 5.5%) in 1970 to 2.5 per 1,000 births (around 0.2%) in 2010. In 1970 there were 94 doctors per 100,000 people and in 2011 there was 405 per 100,000 people.
- Illiteracy went from 26% in 1970 to 5% in 2010.
- High school enrollment for teenagers increased from 3.8% in 1970 to 71% in 2010.
- Major expansions of water and electrical systems, in 1970 only 47% of households had access to piped water and only 68% had access to electricity. In 1991 that rose to 86% of households with access to piped water and 98% with electricity.
Decolonisation
The revolution led to the decolonisation of the Portuguese Empire which then held several territories in Africa. This also led to the end of the Portuguese Colonial War. In 1975 Indonesia invaded and occupied the Portuguese province of Portuguese Timor (East Timor) in Asia before independence could be granted. Nearly 1 million Portuguese or persons of Portuguese descent left these former colonies as refugees. The massive exodus of the Portuguese military and citizens from Angola and Mozambique, would prompt an era of chaos and severe destruction in those territories after independence from Portugal in 1975.