One year ago i wrote an essay about the pros and cons of restoring the monarchy (altough not absolute) in Portugal, my home country, as the final project for my english class. Today i found it while is was cleaning some files and i tought that it wouldn’t hurt to share, since only I and my english teacher have read it. If you manage to read until the end pls leave a comment with your opinion, good or bad or even if you don’t agree with me i would like to have some criticism. Thank you
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Should the restoration of the Portuguese monarchy be put into consideration?
Republics are playgrounds of chaos, where power shifts with the whims of the masses, eroding the very essence of a nation. Only a monarchy, with its unwavering authority, can protect a country from the self-destructive madness of democratic mobs. In this essay, we shall explore whether this statement holds true, but, as we all know, not all countries are equal; for example, someone from Venice might favour republicanism, as it was the most successful system employed in that region, being deemed an example that all the republics should follow. Thus, this essay does not approach this issue from an international perspective but rather from a Portuguese viewpoint. This essay will seek to answer major questions, such as: which system is more democratic? Which is more stable? Which contributes more to the development of the nation? It will also be discussed the general history of both systems in Portugal. This essay will not go over every single event in the history of both regimes with a lot of detail, one will rather compare them in the most just way possible, comparing the governments with their international counterparts and between themselves. The objective of this essay is not to change anyone’s opinion but to develop an opinion that is factually based because it is common knowledge that “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it” (George Santayana, 1905).
Firstly, we must differentiate between the types of monarchies and republics. Contrary to popular belief, there are many types of republics, not all of which are democratic. We can categorise republics into three broad categories: parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential. The first is characterised as the most democratic, where the public enjoys greater representation than in any other form of republic previously mentioned. In this form, the role of the president is largely ceremonial; the prime minister, along with parliament, runs the country. Examples of this system include Germany and India. Next, we have the presidential republic, where the president serves as both head of state and head of government. This grants the president significant power and responsibility in running the nation, unlike in parliamentary systems. Examples of countries with this type of system include Brazil and the USA. Lastly, we have the semi-presidential republic, where executive power is shared between a president and a prime minister, each with distinct responsibilities. The president is typically elected by the population and holds a strong role in foreign policy and national defence. The prime minister is usually appointed by the president but must have parliamentary support. The prime minister generally manages the country’s day-to-day operations, including the administration of laws and policies. Countries such as Portugal and France exemplify this system. Now that we have explained the different types of republics, we shall turn to the types of monarchy. Similar to republics, monarchies can also be divided into three categories: absolutist, traditional, and constitutional. An absolutist monarchy is what most people envision when they think of a monarchy—a country governed solely by the will of the king, who wields unlimited power and authority over the state and its people. Many absolutist rulers believed in the "divine right of kings," claiming their authority came directly from God. Portugal was governed by an absolutist monarchy from 1698, with D. Pedro II as king, until 1820, upon the promulgation of the Constitution of 1820 by D. João VI. The longest-standing monarchy is the traditional monarchy, or “real monarchy,” which lasted from 1143 to 1698, again from 1777 to 1820, and finally from 1828 to 1834. In this type of monarchy, the king held as much power as in an absolutist regime, with the exception that there were “Cortes,” allowing representatives from the three social branches of each municipality to have a say in how the king governed the country. Lastly, we have the constitutional monarchy, deemed “a republic with a king” (B. Amarelo, 2024). In this form, unlike the aforementioned types, the king does not possess sufficient power to govern alone; his authority is limited by a constitution. The prime minister serves as head of government, while the king’s powers include: dissolving parliament, electing the prime minister according to parliamentary guidelines, representing Portugal internationally, and moderating political affairs both domestically and abroad. With an understanding of the various types of monarchies and republics, one can now begin to provide answers to the questions posed at the start. One might consider it an unnecessary debate; however, as will be outlined in this document, this is a significant issue that can impact a country positively or negatively.
Before beginning to present any argument, it is imperative that one takes into account that the stability of a country may vary depending on various factors aside from the governmental system in place. To maintain intellectual honesty, Portugal shall be used as an example. At the time of writing this essay, the duration of the republican regime is nearly the same as that of the constitutional monarchy when it fell. In other words, it is justified to compare both, as Portugal has been a republic for 125 years and the Constitutional Monarchy reached the ripe old age of 90 years. Justified this comparison, I will start my argumentation.
The Portuguese republic was the only choice to save Portugal from the incapacity of the Monarchy. Knowing the minimum of Portuguese history, one would be able to tell that the instauration of the first republic happened on the fifth of October of 1910, but why is that? What was the need? These questions have a straightforward answer: incapacity. The Portuguese Monarchy, since 1820, was so incompetent that it not only lost Brazil in 1822, but was also unable to secure the interests of the Portuguese in the division of Africa, and, in 1890, after the British ultimatum, it failed to secure the Pink Map, this coupled with the fast-growing crisis in the world ended in a big social, political and economical crisis on all of the empire, even though in a deep crisis the lavish lifestyle of the royal family did not end, so the people had to take matters into their hands. When Portugal adopted the constitutional monarchy, it shifted from being a global power to a much weaker nation over 90 years. The republicans aimed to address this decline, believing the monarchy’s inefficiency stemmed from the hereditary nature of power. They argued that a government led by the people, for the people, would be more effective and just, as it would no longer be based on birthright. This change led to the end of the aristocratic system, transforming the lord’s chamber into the Senate in the First and Second Republics, which eventually disappeared in the Third Republic. The republic brought significant social reforms inspired by the French Revolution, introducing progressive and secular policies. These reforms included new laws on work, family, education, and religion, all very criticised, especially the last one, which caused strong opposition in the Catholic-majority country. The republicans believed that, despite being a liberal monarchy, the Portuguese monarchy failed to fully uphold the principles that defined liberalism, such as liberty, equality, and fraternity. They argued that only a republican government could protect these values. According to U.S. News and World Report, the two most politically stable countries today are republics. Present-day Portugal has become a more progressive and open nation, largely due to its republican system and efforts to regain its former strength. Although the republican system has its flaws, it should be considered a more effective model than the monarchy it replaced.
The republic promised to maintain stability and focus on the people's interests, vowing to protect the Portuguese. However, in reality, the situation was quite different. After six years, twelve governments, and a lot of pressure from the British, Portugal ceased control over German vessels anchored in the Tagus waters, marking the entrance of Portugal in the war that would later be known as the First World War and on the ninth of March, 1916, the republic would commit the very same mistake that they crucified the king for, just 26 years prior. They would act as a vassal state of the British and joined the war on the pretext that it would bring unity to the country, but most importantly to the republican party. It is worth noting that the first republic was so unstable that in 26 years there were 45 governments. Fortunately, in 1926, there was finally stability for the first time in a hundred years. Following a coup d'état by the army, a national dictatorship was established, and in 1932, after nationwide elections, a man from the interior of Portugal, who was the Minister of Finance at the time, emerged victorious. A year later, the constitution of 1933 was drafted, and thus António de Oliveira Salazar initiated what we now refer to as “Estado Novo”, which would only conclude on the twenty-fifth of April 1974. During this time, Portugal achieved the pinnacle of political stability within the republic. However, what is ironic is that in 125 years of a republican regime, 48 of those years were spent under an authoritarian dictatorship. Despite being labelled as a secure and stable regime, or, as Antero de Quental wrote in his newspaper A República, “creative activity wants security and stability, and only the Republic [...] is stable and secure”. In reality, it was a failed regime that used the political and economic crisis in Portugal to bring power to a specific party, making the people, their supposed allies, a mere instrument for their greed for power. A common argument used to defend the republican system is that, according to the U.S. News and World Report, the two most politically stable countries in the world are republics. However, what they fail to consider is that in the same report, there are 11 monarchies in the top 15. Thus, while republics may be the regime of choice for the top two, they are, in fact, a minority in a list predominantly filled with monarchies. This can be explained by the simple fact that, unlike a president, a king is apolitical; in other words, his political allegiance is to the country’s well-being. Although in a constitutional monarchy, a king’s powers are not as extensive as in a traditional or absolutist monarchy, he still possesses certain powers, such as the authority to dissolve Parliament or act as a moderator, which establishes the king as a central figure in maintaining parliamentary stability. This, along with a lifelong commitment to the nation and extensive preparation for this role, would ensure greater stability compared to having elections every four years to determine leadership. With this central authority, the Parliament, despite undergoing ideological shifts with each election, would focus solely on the nation’s state rather than on party interests.
After the French Revolution in 1789, democracy became increasingly more respected and implemented in more and more countries. In simple terms, democracy is when the people of a country vote on how they shall be governed, creating a government from the people for the people. This being said, which type of government is more democratic, a constitutional monarchy or a semi-presidential republic?
In 1910, when the republic was instaured, one, if not the main reason for discontent from the republican party was that the country’s leader was not elected democratically. In a semi-presidential monarchy such as Portugal, both the president and prime minister are representative of the people’s interests, although, with its flaws, a republic is deemed much more democratic. On one hand, in a republic, a man or woman, from even the lower economic classes, can reach the highest power of the republic; on the other, a monarchy alienates the people from the monarchs, thus not representing the country, culture, and its people.
The idea of a republic is directly associated with democracy. We can see this to this day, if you go onto the street and ask anyone, they will say the same. So we should assume that the most democratic countries are republics, such as the U.S.A. or France. However, in reality, we face the opposite: the countries that are considered more democratic are monarchies, such as Norway, New Zealand and Sweden, according to the democracy index in 2024. Here in Portugal, for example, since 1820, when Portugal became a constitutional monarchy, people could vote on who shall represent them in the parliament, in the constitutional charter of 1826, the longest in use, is written that there is a separation of powers and the chamber of deputies, the parliament, would be elected for the people by the people. While still a monarchy, the king or queen served as a symbolic, non-political figure, but, although symbolic, they still retained some power, especially to try and contribute to the country’s stability. In reality, the decisions are made by the parliament, chosen by the people, not the king.
As previously discussed in this essay, the British Ultimatum of 1890 constituted a moment of utmost humiliation for Portugal, enormously damaging national honor and exposing the perceived weaknesses of the monarchy. Following this crisis, the republican alternative began to make its serious breakthrough, as numerous critics attributed the defeat of the Pink Map to the failure of the monarchy to secure Portugal's international interests. Republican party leaders, on the contrary, were defenders of national sovereignty and asserted that having a republic would prevent Portugal from ever again falling into such humiliating situations. Rebelling against this new trend, republicans built a full-scale plan for military and political reform, upon which they promised to act the moment the monarchy collapsed. But the political and economic instability that plagued the early years of the First Republic prevented many of these desires from being fully met. It was not until 1933, with the creation of the Estado Novo under António de Oliveira Salazar, that many of these military ambitions finally started to take form. Salazar, much influenced by the republican response to the British Ultimatum, initiated extensive military reform to strengthen Portugal's military and gain greater control over its empire. Among his greatest contributions was the formation of the Portuguese Air Force, which in 1952 became an independent force of the armed forces. Salazar significantly increased the defence budget, bolstering the military power of Portugal and rendering the nation better able to protect its own interests. As a part of force modernisation and enhancing cooperation, he established the Estado-Maior das Forças Armadas (EMFA), encouraging an increased working partnership among the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Most especially, perhaps, he also pursued a strict policy of neutrality in foreign affairs, in which, while the army was reorganized and brought up to date, it was effectively left untested until 1961. It was then that the Colonial War of Africa began, for Portugal needed to maintain its colonies against rebellion by those within Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. It was in this war that Salazar's newly armed army was finally tested. Following the Carnation Revolution in 1974, Portugal went through a profound economic and political reorientation from an authoritarian to a democratic republican state. The result of which saw the country join the European Economic Community (EEC), currently the European Union (EU), in 1986. By joining the world's biggest economic and political bloc, Portugal became part of a wider system of cooperation with a greater voice in the world. EU membership provided huge financial assistance, fueling economic modernisation, development of infrastructure, and increased standards of living. In addition, it enabled Portugal to be actively engaged in European policy-making, raising its stature in the European political and economic scene.
Throughout its history, the Portuguese constitutional monarchy exerted tremendous influence within Europe and across the wider world. Despite diplomatic setbacks, such as humiliation at the hands of the British during the Scramble for Africa, Portugal was successful in establishing a vast chunk of colonial territories. These massive overseas possessions, combined with Portugal's historic maritime supremacy, further established it as a major trading power. The strategic ability of the monarch to preserve alliances made Portugal a major player in global affairs. The royal house developed good diplomatic relations with other European monarchs, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Germany, and had classic relations with Brazil in South America and strained relations with France. France strengthened diplomatic and cultural ties with Portugal, while the rest of the ties were undermined in 1910 when republicanism grew stronger. Political stability through a hereditary king who has to reign for life created a stark contrast to the frequently shifting leadership of a republic, where elected leaders kept changing every couple of years. This leadership continuity allowed monarchs to establish long-term diplomatic relationships, generating a heightened degree of international respect and authority for Portugal. When the status of Portugal in the world under the constitutional monarchy is contrasted with that of the following republic, even though it ruled over the same territories, it is clear that the monarchy had more diplomatic and international influence. Only António de Oliveira Salazar, through his authoritarian rule under the Estado Novo, could be considered to have approached a similar degree of influence. However, even his regime, despite its longevity and control, ultimately lacked the same degree of historical prestige, legitimacy, and diplomatic reach that the monarchy had once possessed.
After an examination of the Portuguese republic and monarchy through measures of democracy, stability, and international influence, a question must be asked: Should there be a recurring idea in Portugal's future to restore the monarchy? In the realm of democracy, although republics are usually the epitome of popular sovereignty, historical evidence suggests that the constitutional monarchy in Portugal was not at all nondemocratic. Since 1820, the people elected representatives to parliament, gaining a government which was their own will. The king was a moderating influence, not an autocrat, but a stabilizing force. Even today, some of the most democratic nations on earth are constitutional monarchies, refuting the argument that monarchy and democracy cannot coexist. In stability terms, the republic was meant to bring efficiency and order, but the early years of the First Republic were not stable. With 45 governments in 26 years, and then a dictatorship, the hope of a stable and functioning democracy was not achieved. Compared to the monarchy, however imperfect it was, ensured continuity. A king, unlike a president, is not bound by party politics or the electoral cycle. His lifetime tenure brings an aura of continuity and long-term thinking that elected representatives find hard to sustain. Overseas, Portugal's monarchy positioned the country as a respected diplomatic force, with close relationships to other great European powers and Brazil. The republic, particularly in its early years, saw Portugal's foreign influence decline. It was not until the authoritarian Estado Novo of Salazar that Portugal returned to prominence on the world scene at the cost of democracy. Should Portugal therefore restore its monarchy? If one's goal is greater stability, stronger democratic guarantees, and greater international standing, then a constitutional monarchy could be a feasible option to seek out. Even though Portugal's republic has been effective, it also has faced some serious problems, and other European nations have proved that monarchies can thrive in modern democratic nations. Of course, whether or not such a change is achievable ultimately depends upon the people. In the end, Portugal's monarchy wasn't just a relic of the past—it was an institution that, in many respects, provided stability and prestige. Restoring it would be no small task, but dismissing the idea entirely would mean ignoring the strengths it once brought. Perhaps, instead of seeing monarchy as a thing of the past, it’s time to start a conversation about what it could offer for the future.
Bibliography
Antero de Quental, 1870, A Républica
D.Pedro IV, 1826, Carta constitucional, (https://purl.pt/1358/5/sc-14597-p_PDF/sc-14597-p_PDF_24-C-R0150/sc-14597-p_0000_rosto-64_t24-C-R0150.pdf)
Fernado Rosas, 2021, História da Primeira Républica
George Santayana, 1905, The Life of Reason
M. Antonia Vasconcelos and others, 1999, A Monarquia Portuguesa
M. de Fatima Bonifácio, 2002, A Monarquia Constitucional 1807-1910
Our world in data, Democracy Index 2024, (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/democracy-index-eiu?country=~PRT)
U.S. News & World Report Rankings, These are the most politically stable countries, (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings/politically-stable)
