Portugal Quotes
Darwin was then a very young man, who had personal witnessed the slavery in South America and the Caribbean when he was on his famous expedition on HMS Beagle. See {630961} & {630962}. He was so disgusted with slavery that he hoped there would be armed slave revolutions and takeovers as had occurred in Haiti. Many of the English upper classes were radical when it came to slavery.
In one of the most unusual revolutions in world history, Brazil became independent from Portugal via a revolution led by the son of the Portuguese King and heir to the throne, Pedro I. The crown prince of Portugal, led Brazil in her breakaway from Portugal and by popular acclaim became Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil. He is probably the only monarch in history who was the heredity monarch of one kingdom and selected by popular acclaim to the throne of another.
He had been King of Portugal and then had come to the Portuguese colony of Brazil where he led a revolution against Portugal, declared independence from the “mother country, and was elected as Emperor of Brazil. The Colony was much larger and richer in natural resources than the “mother country.”
In one of the most unusual revolutions in world history, Brazil became independent from Portugal via a revolution led by the son of the Portuguese King and heir to the throne, Pedro I. The crown prince of Portugal, led Brazil in her breakaway from Portugal and by popular acclaim became Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil. He is probably the only monarch in history who was the heredity monarch of one kingdom and selected by popular acclaim to the throne of another.
Lisbon had been conquered and was occupied by the Moors. Alfonso needed the French to oust the Moors. Such arrangements were not uncommon.
In modern politics, knowledge of the wisdom of this proverb, tries to spin situations, and intimidate others from overt criticism. When a President is attacked by many, it encourages even more attacks.
In one of the most unusual revolutions in world history, Brazil became independent from Portugal via a revolution led by the son of the Portuguese King and heir to the throne, Pedro I. Ironically the King of Portugal, John VI, in this famous quote, encouraged his son to lead the revolution. There were strong separatist sentiment in Brazil and the King thought it would be better to have an independent Brazil lead by a member of his family.
There were millions of refugees in Europe trying to escape the Nazi’s. When France fell and collaborators established the Vishey government, the French began rounding up Jews, Gypsies, and others for the concentration camps. They could escape France only if they had a transit visa from some nearby country. Salizar, the Portuguese strongman, currying favor with Hitler, prohibited the issuance of transit visas to Jewish refugees. Some unethical diplomats would only issue visas if large bribes were paid. Sousa Mendes, a devout Catholic, had seen all the desperate refugees in the streets of Bordeaux and decided to issue transit visas despite his government’s orders. He issued 30,000 taking no payments at all and saved tens of thousands of lives. Salizar investigated and demanded an explanation. Sousa Mendez was fired and was not even allowed to practice law. He died in poverty. Later he was posthumously awarded his country’s highest medal and a stamp was issued in his honor. See {67378}.
These three concepts have in one way or another been made state virtues in right wing dictatorships in religious nations. Ironically, the same can be said about conservative factions and parties in democracies. They include two groups: Those who feel that these are important civic virtues and that the dictators often hijack the virtues to support their dictatorship. The other group are themselves would be fascists who are trying to emulate the dictators of the 20th century. Left wing parties in modern democracies also value these virtues but tend not to use them in slogans as many associate the language with Salazar and other dictators. Some Fascist governments were anti religious such as Nazi Germany, and others were strong religious advocates which co-opt the established church such as Salazar and Franco of Spain.
