Ingemai Larsen :
The Mystical/Mythical Portuguese Fatherland

The subject of this article is "patriotic" or "imperial mysticism", viewed as the metaphysical dimension of the national discourse of the Estado Novo, a discourse formulated within the ideological framework of the authoritarian, corporative state. An analysis of the genesis of a number of its elements - such as the national myths and the conviction that patriotism is the vehicle of History - demonstrates how historians, influential authors and ideologues contributed to the development of this, indeed, remarkable discourse. A conclusion drawn is that patriotic mysticism served to legitimize the Nation=s historical mission to retain the African colonies, long after other European nations had initiated the process of decolonization.