Post-war Societies (Portugal)

Abstract

High inflation, strikes, labour organization, war profiteering and “moral corruption” shaped post-war Portuguese society. As a class of nouveau riche emerged, the income of the middle classes eroded, and hunger spread across the country. Social and political violence became part of daily life. Syndicalism emerged as a major social force promoting new values and cultural practices. The perceived moral bankruptcy of the bourgeoisie followed pleasure- and entertainment-seeking habits across social classes. In major cities, modernism, the new values and social practices on the rise fuelled the reactionary politics of traditionalists, nationalists, and Catholics.