Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The Portuguese New State regime lasted for 41 years and throughout the period spanning from 1933 to 1974 its propaganda endeavours held notable significance. Operating as a B-nation with limited influence in global diplomatic affairs but harbouring considerable aspirations, Portugal executed a series of initiatives categorized as soft power practices. These initiatives, conducted in foreign languages, were strategically devised to disseminate the ideals and propaganda of the New State. This trend extended beyond geographical confines, with the Americas serving as no exception.
This paper focuses on the foundational years of the regime, specifically the 1930s and 1940s, when the speeches of Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar were translated into Spanish and disseminated in Chile and Argentina. While the Portuguese regime's choice of such a course of action may appear peculiar and far-fetched, studies (Beired, 2010; Pinto, 2022) have affirmed that numerous right-wing ideologies emanating from European nations found receptive audiences and were embraced by political movements and intellectual circles in the Americas during the 1930s. In this context, Salazar's regime was even regarded as an alternative within the era of fascism.
The translation of Portuguese propaganda has been scarcely studied and, as such, this approach is innovative and will allow an insight into how the process occurred and into its intricacies as an event in itself. Besides delving into the archives to analyse the files concerning the two volumes of speeches published in Chile and Argentina, we will also concern ourselves with a document authored by the director of the Portuguese Propaganda Office entitled “Plan for a campaign of Portugueseness throughout America, specially in Brazil”.
The exploratory nature of this archival study is geared towards elucidating and comprehending how the regime effectively communicated its ideas and principles to a foreign audience, with a specific focus on the Americas.
Description
Keywords
New State Translation of propaganda Americas Archives Research Subject Categories::HUMANITIES and RELIGION
Citation
Chumbo, Isabel (2024). From the Portuguese 20th century dictatorship to the Americas: the role of translated propaganda. In International Conference Synchronizing History Book of Abstracts. Palermo
Publisher
Universita degli studi di Palemro