One of my favorite movies about presidents is The American President. It is one of those movies (like Dave) I can watch repeatedly.1 In one of the film’s final scenes, Michael Douglas (the President) interrupts the daily press briefing to take the podium. He reminds us that “Democracy is not easy…” Today, we look at Portugal 51 years ago and America today.
51 Years Ago
I have written about the Carnation Revolution, which occurred 51 years ago on 25 April 19742. While I have shared with you Portugal’s Constitution, which was enacted in 1976, I have not written about what happened in between.
Yes, democracy is not easy. There are bound to be bumps along the way. In the case of Portugal:
Half of Portugal’s GDP had been tied up in 3 overseas wars. So the economy collapsed, and hundreds of thousands of people returned from the colonies.3 They were known as the “retornados”. They returned destitute and to an already weakened economy.
There was a period of unrest, officially known as Processo Revolucionário em Curso (the Ongoing Revolution Process). During this time, 60 political parties sprang up. What was supposed to be a pro-democracy coup became a communist-inspired coup. Sweeping reforms included the nationalization of banks, insurance, radio, and TV networks, and various industries were undertaken. Farmland was seized and placed in Collective Production Units … far less efficient and effective than privately owned farms.
There was a failed right-wing coup in March 1975 and a failed left-wing coup in November 1975.
Portugal was very close to civil war. Yes, democracy is not easy.
A Free Election
Somehow, Portugal was able to run a free election one year after the Carnation Revolution on 25 April 1975. This election formed the Constituent Assembly that drafted the new Constitution.4
After prolonged deliberation, the Constituent Assembly eventually adopted a constitution that provided for a democratic, parliamentary system with political parties, elections, a parliament, and a prime minister. The document also established an independent judiciary and enumerated and provided for the protection of several human rights. — Wikipedia
However, the constitution they wrote reflected the times:
It included references to socialism and the desirability of a socialist economy. It echoed Marxist writings.
It severely restricted private investment.
It established the military as a co-equal branch of government.
Controversial from the start, the Assembly required a 5-year pause before any amendments were made. In 1982, the first amendments were enacted, abolishing the Council of the Revolution, thus ending military control of Portuguese politics. A Constitutional Court was also established, and the powers of the President were reduced.5 In 1989, additional amendments were offered which removed much of the ideological language and enabled the State to privatize much of the property and many of the businesses nationalized after the 1974 revolution. Yes, democracy is not easy…
98 Days
This post is being published 98 days into the Trump presidency. It is being written on Tuesday, 22 April, as we are traveling for the next few days. Who knows what will happen over the next 5 days? Another sensitive data/Signal scandal? Elimination of another national security program? Another legal resident swept up off the streets? Another plane to El Salvador? Another disingenuous peace proposal to Ukraine? Another 6.5% drop in our Vanguard account?6 I doubt any Republicans will grow a spine.
In 2022, I wrote:
In How Democracies Die, Levitsky and Ziblatt suggest that three criteria set the stage for the death of democracy: refusal to accept an election, violence, and the refusal of the party that is helped by the violence to condemn it. This book was published four years ago … but it seems even more relevant today.
Yes, democracy is not easy…
Em cada rosto, igualdade…O povo é quem mais ordena,
Nanc
In Case You Missed This: Here are Paul Krugman’s recent comments on Portugal’s political and economic progress.
Of course, Vulture does not include either in their list of the top 20 movies about the president.
Estimates range from 500,000 to 1 million.
Please note: the word “new” was added after this was first published. A reader correctly pointed out that there was a constitution before the Carnation Revolution.
He did retain the ability to dissolve the government … which he has done 4 times in the last 3 years. Voting will take place on 18 May 2025.
OMG, they arrested a district judge and placed US children on a plane to Honduras. I added this footnote while on vacation
Great post. As I was reading it, I was preparing to comment on the arrest of the judges, the children. the mother taken from her US Citizen husband and from her 1 year old daughter - who was still being breastfed. Child is inconsolable and refusing to eat. This is what we have come to, so quickly. Corey Booker was right to say " if America hasn't broken you heart, you don't love her enough". The times call for conservatives to find their backbones and some measure of decency. I fear they have neither. We are putting our home on the market in 2 weeks. Goal is to get as liquid as possible... we will be ready to get out when needed. In the meantime, we attend rallies, we call/write our representatives (mine are great - and I call to tell them I support their actions and encourage them to do more). But each day my heart breaks a little more as I watch everything that I used to think made the USA special and good being destroyed. Even worse are all the people around me just going on about their business, as if nothing remarkable is going on. It's an odd state to be in. Just watched the movie "Number 24" on Prime.. it was great - you should check it out. May the universe give us all strength to do what we must.
Yeah, arresting a judge ... and with all the other flagrant oversteps that flout due process, one wonders where this is going to lead in response to these unrelenting actions. Get out the carnations 🤞🏼