Nacional-Sindicalismo em periodo eleitoral. Ao governo. Á nação.

Lisbon, n.pr., dated in print 9 Novembro 1934.. FIRST and ONLY EDITION. Broadside (34.7 x 6.3 cm.), unbound Browning (but not brittle). A few light dampstains. Folded three times. In good condition. *** FIRST and ONLY EDITION [?] of this clandestine broadside condemning forthcoming elections. The Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista was a political movement that briefly flourished in Portugal in the early 1930s. Stanley G. Payne defined them as a fascist movement. Under the leadership of Francisco [Barcelos] Rolão Preto (1893-1977), the National Syndicalists emerged in 1932 from a tradition of Monarchism and Integralismo Lusitano to offer a platform leading to full corporatism of association or unionism in opposition to capitalism and communism. Calling for a totalitarian state, they placed central importance on the Catholic Church and made Catholic identity an important part of their appeal. They adopted the Order of Christ Cross as their emblem, in order to underline their Christian ethos, and set up their own armed militia that became known as the “Blueshirts” (Camisas azuis; inspired by Mussolini’s Blackshirts); they also greeted each other using the Roman salute. Their main inspiration was Italian fascism although they were also linked to the Spanish Falange, who shared many of their ideas. But Rolão Preto clashed with José Antonio Primo de Rivera, whom he dubbed “too capitalist”, and the MNS wished to add Spanish Galicia to Portugal, a further source of tension with the Falangists. Brigadas de choque, similar to stormtroopers, were established by the MNS although rarely used, with street battles not a feature of Portuguese politics at the time. Growing rapidly in their early stages, they were estimated to have 25,000 members by 1933, 5,000 more than the governing National Union. The National Syndicalists were critical of the regime of António de Oliveira Salazar and the Estado Novo.Salazar allowed the group to hold a national conference in November 1933, indicating if they abandoned open syndicalism he would bring them into his National Union en bloc. Whilst this proposal was not accepted by the MNS as a group many members approved, resulting in a split within the movement in early 1934, with many of those in favor of the moderate approach rewarded with positions within Salazar’s government. Salazar dissolved the group on July 29, 1934, condemning its defense of syndicalism. Preto was arrested two weeks prior to Salazar's dissolution of the organization, on July 10th, and went into exile in Spain. He returned to Portugal several months later, then went into exile for several years, and returned to remain in Portugal. His deputy, Alberto de [Morés] Monsaraz (1889-1959), also went into exile in Spain*** Not located in Porbase. Not located in Jisc. Not located in KVK (51 databases searched).