Fatherland, Nation and State in the Portuguese Constitutional Monarchy

Abstract

Our starting point will be the following: the 1820 Portuguese Liberal Revolution, which established a constitutional monarchy, tried to base the desired civic nation on the res publican idea of «constitutional patriotism», having as example the Cadiz Constitution of 1812. However, when the most conservative liberal faction —identified with the constitutionalism granted by the king— gained prominence, not only an eclectic coexistence between the monarchic principle and the national principle took place, but also a centralist State, inspired in the French model, became preponderant. Against it, a group of opposite alternatives will arise: some, traditionalist and integralist, others, republican. And, if both movements demanded a municipal and decentralized politicaladministrative organization, the second one wanted that organization to serve the society democratization, thus, the Republic. This would be the best way to defeat caciquism, the social phenomenon which Constitutional Monarchy and the reproduction of its political supporter elites had generated.