ПОРТУГАЛИЯ: РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ПОСТРЕВОЛЮЦИОННЫХ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЙ

Abstract

In 2019, 45 years of the “Carnation Revolution” (the Revolution in the Portuguese Republic on April 25, 1974) – an outstanding historical event of national and cross-border scale – are celebrated. The Portuguese Revolution resulted from both the internal development of the Portuguese Republic and a chain of important historical events on a global level. The end of the World War II, the collapse of fascism, struggle for elimination of the colonial system led mankind to understanding the need for social and political modernization. A fresh wind of change in the early 1970s also touched Portugal. The past decades have shown that the April Revolution was part of a global process of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes collapse in all regions of the world, known as the “third wave of democratization”. The value of Portuguese events went beyond one country. They were the impetus for the development of democratic processes in other regions, particularly in Europe and South America. The “Carnation Revolution” launched the process of decolonization that has created on the site of the Portuguese colonies a number of independent states. During the relatively small period (by historical standards), Portugal has made significant progress in economic and social spheres, has established a stable political system capable of responding to external and internal challenges. Because of the democratic transformation, a decrepit colonial empire with a closed authoritarian regime was transformed into a country open to the world, with a European-style political system which respects the rule of law, guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for citizens. The Portuguese have changed without changing themselves, preserving the national identity and traditions, the unique place that the country occupies in world history and at present. The Revolution has not only changed the trajectory, but also radically expanded the horizons of interaction between Lisbon, the states of the European continent and other parts of the world. In the current, extremely complex international situation, Portugal aims to strengthen its position on the world stage, expand the circle of trade, economic and political counterparts. One of important partners in the system of Portugal’s foreign economic ties is the Russian Federation. Despite many problems of the last time, Russian-Portuguese relations based on mutual interest maintain positive dynamics.