I doubt the survival of any genuinely democratic transcontinental Portuguese state given it would make the Portuguese a minority within their own country and lack of desire on the African population to remain a part of it.
 

Lusitania

Donor
Not sure if it will ever get that bad, but a limited conflict between Portugal and South Africa will make an interesting stage for the time period. If it happens, I wonder if the USA or Soviet Union will even get involved? It's not like the Federation or South Africa are that particularly popular with anyone in the world right now. Portugal is an "upstart" that doesn't know its place and South Africa is an brutal racist state with their apartheid system. Would people just bring out popcorn and watch the violence unfold?

Without trying to give too much away, I can state that there will be a large confrontation between the Federation and SA. This will be part of a larger African conflict in the 1960s. That unfortunately will be all that I can provide at this time.

With the Youth program I don't see such deep divisions lasting the Boomers' generation.

The Portuguese Youth (PY), Women's League and Portuguese Legion all became instruments in molding the minds of the population which with heavy propaganda in media (Radio, television and movies along with print media) was aimed at promoting a government agenda. In the 1950s there was a very large move away from government agenda to "Portuguese" agenda and we are all Portuguese became the primary theme. With PY becoming primary tool to mold the minds, where the other organization were rebuilt ejecting those elements that refused to encompass a more inclusive model. Eventually these other organizations starting admitting people who had been molded by the PY and they too were strengthened.

Therefore the PY became the primary means to control the message. What was the message you may ask "We are all Portuguese" that became the primary message in the 1950s. Why because the biggest threat to the Federation in the government eyes was the decolonization and the American threat. While Soviet/communist threat was viewed as secondary and one that could be countered by better living standard.

I doubt the survival of any genuinely democratic transcontinental Portuguese state given it would make the Portuguese a minority within their own country and lack of desire on the African population to remain a part of it.

Yes the traditional "European Portuguese" thought they could and would be able to control and maintain power but several factors would eventually change this scenario. First it was number of non Portuguese (including emigrants, Africans, Indians and Asians) working in government both federally, provincially and local and secondly which was most important was the number of non traditional European Portuguese who were National Union Party members. For example we have the following statistics federally

Decade %Caucasian %Non Caucasian
1950 89% 11%
1960 74% 26%
1970 59% 41%
1980 47% 53%

The other for the national Party is as follows

Decade %Caucasian %Non Caucasian
1950 97% 3%
1960 88% 12%
1970 65% 35%
1980 51% 49%

Therefore overtime without realizing the traditional Portuguese did hand the powers to the non traditional European Portuguese. The major difference is that by the 1970 the largest growing demographic group would not be blacks, Caucasians or any other traditional group but a new group called "Portuguese" which meant mixed race. So they in turn would inherit the mantle and by the 21st century be in the forefront of business and government.

Note: that neither Portugal and the Federation was ever truly democratic but a limited democracy that allowed for the National Party to maintain control of the country. It was the National Party that would eventually change. Hence the election of the first African Prime Minister in the 1980s.

 
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The major difference is that by the 1970 the largest growing demographic group would not be blacks, Caucasians or any other traditional group but a new group called "Portuguese" which meant mixed race.
I doubt you'd see such a large number of mixed race marriages by 1970s for that to occur given the sheer numbers involved.
 

Lusitania

Donor
I doubt you'd see such a large number of mixed race marriages by 1970s for that to occur given the sheer numbers involved.
The thing is that Portuguese have been intermarrying with other cultures for centuries and they did not have the same prejudice that other cultures did. By mixed group we are also including marriages between Indians, Asians, African, Berber and European. All mixed together so that by 1970s the “Portuguese” demographic became a larger group and one that mixed couples would classify their kids. Till then they be classified as African, Indian, Asian or what ever based on personal preference and what child most looked like. The Traditional
Portuguese term “mulato” was not applicable for an Indian-Chinese or African-Berber. Therefore a new term meaning all mixed races as “Português”.

We have to consider the following. Portuguese African provinces are a melting pot with millions of Europeans, hundreds of thousands of Indians, Chinese, Sundanese, Berber alongside the Africans. All men were drafted and served in different locations. There were over 2 million non Europeans living in Iberian peninsula provinces.

all of this meant that there was a lot of exposure and mixing of demographic groups which meant that a lot more mixed marriages. This was in the 1950s. We have not talked about the 1960s or 1970s.

The federation was a unique experiment that provided opportunities for non Europeans to have same rights and privileges as Europeans. When students wrote their entrance exams to attend prep-high school and universities the government wanted the brightest. The country needed the smartest scientists, engineers and academics to move the country forward. These students regardless of race were intermixed and showed the way forward. Segregation stopped in the early 1930s. This was not due to superior attitudes or morals by the Portuguese but by simple economic need.

Those that did not go to university still attended vocational schools and achieved trades and while the intermarriage was not as high as professionals they still were higher than other countries.

Note: unfortunately I will not share the demographic table at this time due to some information that would reveal several major events in the next two decades.
 
I doubt the survival of any genuinely democratic transcontinental Portuguese state given it would make the Portuguese a minority within their own country and lack of desire on the African population to remain a part of it.
I think you're over estimating how many Africans there are in Portugal's empire. OTL Metropolitan Portugal had a population of around 9 million, and its African possessions had around 14 million total* (an appreciable number of whom were white settlers or mixed race). So the margin by which the Portuguese are outnumbered isn't so great (and is less so ITTL given how much European migration Portugal has attracted).

*Yep, Angola made Canada seem densely populated by comparison.

Another thing to consider is that the Portuguese are one nationality, where as the africans have dozens of different languages and groupings. So African demographic dominance wouldn't necessarily translate into political dominance even in a 100% fair democracy.
 

Lusitania

Donor
I think you're over estimating how many Africans there are in Portugal's empire. OTL Metropolitan Portugal had a population of around 9 million, and its African possessions had around 14 million total* (an appreciable number of whom were white settlers or mixed race). So the margin by which the Portuguese are outnumbered isn't so great (and is less so ITTL given how much European migration Portugal has attracted).

*Yep, Angola made Canada seem densely populated by comparison.

Another thing to consider is that the Portuguese are one nationality, where as the africans have dozens of different languages and groupings. So African demographic dominance wouldn't necessarily translate into political dominance even in a 100% fair democracy.

First I wanted to provide something of context for our discussions.

9Irob3j.png


this was from a previous post and only incudes the 1940s. (Sorry cant provide 1950-1980s)

So we have some major items to look at of the total population of 31 million we have approximately more than 1/3 being European. ( that includes Europeans both on the Iberian peninsula and adjacent islands and in the ultramar pronounces). Looking forward, What I can say is that immigration to Federation in the 1950s will be highly titled towards Europe (that will start shifting in the 1960s.) Also the 2/3 remaining are mixed with about 12 million Africans but they come from a variety of locations with both Angola and Mozambique and even Guines having a multitude of tribes. This is the reason that democracy in African countries is so very difficult because it always seems to portray one group over another (even today).

Also how will the demographic tilt in future as millions of people clamor for life of the middle class, will it be reflected in smaller families as they are educated. Hope this helps. I do have more demographic tables with % but they for future posts.
 
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1950s

Lusitania

Donor
1950 – 1959

The 1950s is characterized by the economic boom that would lift the world from the depression and destruction of WWII. By its end, the world had largely recovered from World War II and the Cold War developed from its modest beginning in the late-1940s to a hot competition between the United States and the Soviet Union by the early-1960s. Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas were all theatres in which the two sides and their proxies battled for influence and power.

Clashes between communism and capitalism dominated the decade, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. The conflicts included the Korean War at the beginnings of the decade and the beginning of the Space Race with the launch of Sputnik 1 at the end of decade. Along with increased testing of nuclear weapons (such as RDS-37 and Upshot–Knothole), this created a politically conservative climate. In the United States, the Second Red Scare caused Congressional hearings by both houses in Congress and anti-communism was the prevailing sentiment in the United States throughout the decade. The beginning of decolonization in Africa and Asia took place in this decade and accelerated in the following decade.

The Portuguese Empire officially ceased to exist on 14 of December 1950 and on 15 December 1950 the Portuguese Federation was proclaimed. The government and Portuguese people then set about working on what amounted to a momentous task uniting all parts of the country into an equal Federation. The colonies or as Portuguese referred to them overseas provinces, and all its negative connotations were abolished and all people regardless of origin, religion or color were integrated into the country as Portuguese. For the next decade the country would not only endeavor to integrate those people into a single country but also develop the country into an economic and political force.

World reaction to the declaration of the Federation would dictate not only Portuguese role in the world but also its people attitudes towards the various forces arrayed against it.

The Portuguese would endeavor over the decade to unite the different regions into a single country, investing in infrastructure while modernizing the country with emphasis on education and health. Portuguese companies buoyed by growing economy and country expanded their operations bring new products and services to the Portuguese market. Immigration to the Federation strengthened the country by bringing in new skills and knowledge.

On the global level the country worked hard to both assert itself as valuable ally in the fight against communism while at same time displaying newfound political assertiveness in various regional and global affairs. At times Portuguese actions contradicted US and other allies’ own interests.

___________________________________________________________________________________

The historical information on Portugal and the major events impacting the country are presented in the following sections:

We now start the Country section.
 
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1950s - Country

Lusitania

Donor
1950 – 1959 (cont)

Country

The Portuguese Federation came into existence on 15 December 1950. A country that now encompassed territory and provinces on three continents. It would take the country a decade to mold all the territory into a truly unified and equal country. Complicating the matter were the new territories acquired from Spain to Portugalize. In addition, two theatres (Indian Subcontinent and East Asia) were afflicted by war and insurrections and it took till middle of the decade for Portuguese borders in those regions to be secured. Meanwhile the French protectorate of Morocco moved towards independence and its people rejected Portuguese presence in North Africa setting up conflict and eventually war between newly independent Morocco and the Portuguese Federation.

At same time the country secured its borders it also helped several other people defend their own freedom and in doing so they looked to the Federation for both economic and military support. These smaller countries (Galicia in Europe, Guinea Boke in Africa, Lombok & Bali in South East Asia) threatened by their larger and hostile neighbors aligned themselves with the Federation for protection and more importantly economic opportunities.


6MKKpWg.png

Map of world showing relative position and size of Portuguese Federation
The provinces include territories that only became provinces in the late 1950s


here is the link to the above map: https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca8...0.7uiR_A-ZYjOeiCnXmuxLBMrRh5L2AChe2j4a1URVZ1w
I would like to thank @Reagent for his excellent cartography. Thanks



The country section provides readers a good understanding of the size and location of the various provinces. We will start explaining the various changes to the world seen in the map above in the next post when we start the world section. Questions/ Comments?

Please return January 5 as we start posting the World Section.
 
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Lusitania

Donor
Galicia became independent from Spain? When, How and Why?

OK I know there are quite a few items in the maps that raise a lot questions. There are changes on the Iberian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. These will be explained in the world section which we will start posting in January. As a heads up the areas we will deal and discuss are as follows:
  • India
  • China - Korea
  • East Indies
  • Spain
  • Africa
  • Suez Canal Crises
  • Marrocos (Morocco)
  • Guinea and De-Colonization
  • Isreal and Middle East
  • China & USSR
  • South America - Brazil
  • South America - Argentina
Each of these areas / countries were important flashpoints in world and in many ways impacted the Federation.

Note: Smaller blurbs will be written on countries in the Foreign Policy section later.

Feliz Natal e prospero Ano Novo.
 
To me, the Portuguese gains in Africa look self-explanatory.

Africa is understandable, but there are other parts of the world that are a little more divergent from our own. The Indian civil war seemed to divide the subcontinent so we might need a rough map for the new Indian nations and how Portugal relates to them. Also, Indonesia appears to be a mess and who knows what happened to Spain? I see that Portugal finally gained Olivenza but Galacia is it's own nations? Can't wait to see how that went down.
 
Feliz Natal!

I really hope galicia will someday join the federation, i can understand it will be particularly harder for it than other members as it has been traditionally integrated in the spanish economy for centuries, but ideally that seems like the best thing for Galicia.

Also hope Casamance breaks away and either enters the federation or becomes a closely associated state.
 

Lusitania

Donor
This a incredibly nice map made with a lot of love. Full props to both you and @Reagent!

The map is wonderful !!
Congratulations on your work @Lusitania and @Reagent


Yes @Reagent did an amazing job. I provided him my lame escuses for maps and he turned them into an artwork.

reagent also posted the map in the Map thread and it got close to 60 likes.

also we like to thank @Archangel for his help with some provincial and city names. The map was updated with his suggestions. See map for updates.
 
Yes @Reagent did an amazing job. I provided him my lame escuses for maps and he turned them into an artwork.

reagent also posted the map in the Map thread and it got close to 60 likes.

also we like to thank @Archangel for his help with some provincial and city names. The map was updated with his suggestions. See map for updates.
The map is excellent, a product of both your world building and Reagent's map work. :)
 
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