Portugal’s first republic was not working with economic strife and anarchy in politics and in the streets. How do you solve it? A military coup perhaps? Won’t the people then be ill served as Generals turn themselves into pagan Caesars in the fascist mode. General/ Marshal/President Carmona tried to find a middle way. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
It is interesting that this late in his career pictures Oscar Carmona in a dress military uniform, even though he had served as President for nearly twenty years. The uniform perhaps both recognizes him as a figure head while also acknowledging his right under the Nuevo State to fire the government, an important check the kept Salazar from becoming one of Europe’s pagan Caesars as he himself described the fascist leaders of other European countries.
Todays stamp is issue A149, a 1.75 Escudo stamp issued by Portugal on November 12th, 1945. It was an 8 stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $7.50 unused.
Oscar was born the son of a Portuguese Naval Captain who was serving as naval attaché to Brazil in 1869. Despite this he joined the army and married the daughter of a General. In marrying her, he legitimized their three kids. He rose through the ranks and was charged by the republican government with leading a military tribunal that was tasked with prosecuting officers who had conspired in a series of failed coups against the unpopular and unstable, but elected government.
He was perhaps not the best choice as the Prosecutor then dramatically asked in open court if the homeland was sick as it was persecuting it’s best men. One of the few times a prosecutor wins an acquittal of the officers. Soon Carmona is leading 15,000 troops marching into Lisbon demanding and recieving the resignation of the Republican government.
Initially the plan was to install a rival politician in power under the same constitution. Carmona quickly realized the weakness of that and instead crafted a Nuevo State that gave him personally dictator like powers.
The early years of the dictatorship saw a good amount of economic progress as a new Finance Minister Antonio Salazar got the countries very iffy finances in order. This is where Carmona differed from so many military dictators. Seeing the success, he promoted Salazar to Prime Minister as he himself stepped back in a more figurehead role. As a non military leader, Salazar was able to gradually reduce the importance of the military in politics with the acquiesce of Carmona. This reduced role was central to the very delicate task Portugal pulled off by staying out of both the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
There was of course opposition to the absolute power of the Nuevo State. This included both far left and more mainstream elements. A nod to how well the system worked was that both aged Marshal Carmona and his also aged military replacement as President were repeatedly offered the role of figurehead to proposed opposition governments.
Well my drink is empty. Come back soon when there will be another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2020.