Dealing with the Authoritarian Past

Abstract

This chapter describes how Portugal has dealt with the legacies and memory of its authoritarian past since 1974, from a comparative perspective. It suggests that, since the 1980s, the legacies and memories of the authoritarian past have ceased to be salient and that related political divisions have not emerged. This is very different from what happens in most post-communist and, to a lesser extent, Latin American countries, where the authoritarian past remains a source of contention and, therefore, requires an explanation. The absence of an ‘authoritarian successor party’ and the presence of other overlapping and overshadowing legacies are therefore examined as potential explanations for the Portuguese pattern. This chapter concludes with some ideas for future research in this field.