AA
- Thread starter Reagent
- Start date
Interesting. This site doesn't get too many TLs that focus on Africa (much less Portugese colonial Africa), so I'll be following yours.
Will there be any focus on Mozambique as well? Or further mentions of what'll happen in Portugal's Asian possessions (esp. Macau in particular, what with the PRC being declared around this same time)?
Cool map - it will be interesting to see how the effort to integrate the colonies goes in TTL. Angola alone would certainly give Portugal a much needed boost.
How will these policies affect Goa? India didn't start putting pressure on Portugal until the mid-50s in OTL, but it's an easy target. Any Indian national or state leader looking to boost their popularity just has to rail against Goa and send protestors marching in. Tensions could easily rise earlier.
Great work so far!
Cheers,
Ganesha
Great work so far!
Cheers,
Ganesha
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Might the Portuguese government be receptive to the idea of Brazilian, even Latin American immigration to Angola and Mozambique once immigration from the metropole to the oversea provinces eventually peters out? Maybe even Asian immigration from places like Timor, Macau and Goa to spice up the diversity in the African oversea provinces?
General Norton de Matos had been an advocate of mass migration to the colonies early on as he had been Governor-General of Angola. Much of Angola is a "planalto" is climate that is relatively temperate. He founded Nova Lisboa (Huabmo) in 1912 and by 1974 it was the second largest city in Angola.
In Mozambique the highland areas of Manica and Niassa also had temperate climates. However, government sponsored migration in Niassa only came about in the 1960s, and was really going strong by 1973.
In Mozambique the highland areas of Manica and Niassa also had temperate climates. However, government sponsored migration in Niassa only came about in the 1960s, and was really going strong by 1973.
Is there any chance for there to be cultivation of ties with Brazil? Regardless whether Brazilian immigrants are welcomed at all. Lusophone authoritarians might stick together.
Salazar did not invest much in higher education, but there was a push to increase the primary education even early in his rule. The literacy rate in Portugal increased from 32% in 1930 to around 75% in 1975.
Marcello Caetano did have a much more ambitious plan to modernize the country and education was part of this. He appointed Veiga Simão as the Education Minister, and in 1973 he began reform the education system in the country and opened new universities in the country.
Marcello Caetano was pragmatic for the most part and his actual political views were more in line with what today forms the Social Democratic Party in Portugal (Centre-Right). He expanded the social welfare and was in favour of integrating Portugal into the EEC. Also, he promoted Portuguese emigration to France and West Germany as the remittances from these emigrants became an important part of Portugal's balance of payments. He was hamstrung from liberalizing more than he did by the older members of the political apparatus, led by President Américo Tomás.
Also, it was later revealed that Caetano had toyed with plans to grant independence to Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau once Américo Tomás resigned (he was expected to do so in November of 1974 when he turned 80).
In Guinea-Bissau, secret discussions were being held with the Senegalese government to mediate between Portugal and the PAIGC. In Angola, the plan was to have the the Portuguese government create a rift between the government and have the Angolan-born Vice-Governor declare independence of Angola. Cabinda was to remain Portuguese. In Mozambique, there were various plans that included partitioning the country along the Zambezi river, to the North FRELIMO would be given free reign and in the South a multi-racial state would emerge ruled by a pro-Western government led by wealthy Mozambique businessman Jorge Jardim as prime minister with the support of South Africa and Rhodesia.
So in the end, I think Caetano was a pragmatist more than anything else. He wanted to modernize Portugal and even supported protesting students during his tenure as Dean of the University of Lisbon. The colonial problem was something he was too unwilling to solve, so he just kept on following the same old policies, hoping that economic growth alone would mitigate the political problems. He was more liberal than he was given credit for, he just did not have the fortitude to stand up to the Old Guard.
Relations between the two dictatorships were generally very good Marcello Caetano visited the country in 1969. This was followed a visit by President Américo Tomás to Brazil in 1972. He accompanied the remains of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil (which had been in Porto since his death in 1834) and transferred them to Brazil to mark the 150th year of Brazil's independence. Also that year a treaty was signed to create a Portuguese-Brazilian community giving citizens of both countries reciprocal rights in both countries. This was followed followed by the opening of free trade between the two countries. Also, in early 1974, the Portuguese Air Force placed an order for 100 light aircraft with Embraer. However, once the revolution occurred in Portugal, the Brazilian government was quick to recognize the situation had changed and quickly recognized the new independent governments and sought to foster close relations with Portuguese-speaking Africa.
There were many Portuguese still in Brazil as it had been the top foreign destination for Portuguese emigrants until 1961 (France took the top spot in 1962). The peak year for Portuguese emigration to Brazil was 1952, when 41,518 Portuguese entered Brazil, however by 1963 this number had fallen to 11,281. In 1964 the military dictatorship came to power in Brazil and only 4,929 Portuguese entered the country that year. The number of Portuguese moving to Brazil continued to decline every year until 1974. In 1973 only 890 Portuguese emigrated to Brazil compared with 63,942 who emigrated to France and 38,444 to West Germany. It seems that the reason for the falling emigration could also be attributed to Brazil's economic performance during these years which lagged especially compared to that of Western Europe.
abc123
Banned
If you continue with this ( 1949-1950 ) rate of European immigration into Angola, Angola should by 1975 have about 15- 20% of population Europeans.
And if you suceed in stopping ( not all, but say 2/3 ) the Portuguese in goeing for W. Germany and France, that should add another 10-15%.
And if you suceed in stopping ( not all, but say 2/3 ) the Portuguese in goeing for W. Germany and France, that should add another 10-15%.
