The Portuguese: A Modern History, by Barry Hatton

This book is a book in English about the Portuguese, a people whom it is said that it is difficult to know, and this book is full of a great deal of nuance about the people of Portugal and their history. It seems, at least in reading this book, that the author begins in a far more pro-Portuguese mood and gradually writes more critical aspects about the people and their history. It is unclear why this is the case, although it is possible that either the author’s own opinion shifted as he began to write more and more about the history–especially the recent history–of the country, or he thought that most people would not read the book all the way through who would not appreciate an honest portrayal, and as a result this book ends very critically about a people whom the author has at least some fondness for despite the serious problems that Portugal has as a country relative to the rest of Western Europe. Whether or not most readers will be disappointed to hear the author’s criticism of their recent history and their national culture, especially their corruption, lack of sense of personal responsibility, and complacent attitude towards the failures of their nation to live up to its possibilities or provide reasonable opportunities for its people and a decent education, that is up for readers to decide.

This book is about 250 pages long and is divided into 13 chapters. After a preface the book begins with the author noting anecdotes about the Portuguese style of bullfighting. The author discusses the small space of Portugal along with its big contrasts (1), including a discussion of the capital and countryside and the differences between them. This is followed by an examination of the Portuguese glories of the age of discovery and how the waste of the wealth gained led to long-term Portuguese decline (2). This is followed by a discussion of the Portuguese-speaking world and the issues of empire that the people of Portugal appear unwilling to deal with (3). After that comes a discussion of Spain, England, and Portugal’s destiny between them (4). A sad chapter follows on Portugal’s long and tragic decline and fall (5). After this comes a discussion of the Salazar years (6) and their end, while the whole chapter that follows covers the anarchical and chaotic carnation revolution that ended the Salazar dictatorship (7). This is followed by chapters about the boom years of the 1980s and 1990s (8), Portugal’s peaceful anarchy (9), Fado music and what it has to say about the soul of Portugal (10), the importance of eating well (11), the rise of old problems in the new crisis that began the 21st century for Portugal (12), and Portugal’s confrontation with the 21st century and its search for new horizons and opportunities (13). The book ends with suggestions for further reading and an index.

There is a lot to like about this book. If one takes it as a series of sketches from observation and reading, one can gather that the Portuguese have reasons to be proud of their history and culture, and have a lot of food and natural scenery that are worth appreciating. That said, the nation’s political and economic systems have been a basket case for a long time. The author notes that whenever Portugal has enjoyed wealth as a nation that wealth has been squandered by the powers that be on showy construction rather than capital investment in the well-being of the Portuguese people and that trend appears in this book over and over again. Portuguese friendliness is contrasted with their extremely provincial attitudes and belonging in very small and isolated circles that it is very difficult to penetrate. Portuguese happiness is contrasted with a sense of misery and endless struggle against despair. One gets a sense that the complexity of Portuguese history and origins, their individual bravery but extremely fragmented culture, their combination of anarchy and tolerance for tyrannical authorities, reflects some sort of deep divide that makes it hard for them to achieve the sort of boring self-restraint that comes easier to more successful nations. That said, it did encourage me to visit the country and explore it more deeply, should I have the chance, though perhaps not to drive myself.