Down with the ‘feudal iron locks’! The movement for the extinction of the foros and rurality in the Portuguese Revolution (1974-1976)

Abstract

The formation of rural social movements was one of the foundations of the popular mobilization that took place during the Carnation Revolution. Different issues were the driving force behind the emergence of demand structures, and among these were land and labor taxation and, specifically, the foros. The fight for their abolition led to the birth of the Movement for the Extinction of the Foros (MEF) in 1975. When set in its historical context, the importance of this movement lies in the fact that it expresses the struggle to release land and property from any form of restriction on their usufruct. This article examines the ways in which the MEF worked and its geographical scope, with the aim of revealing how it fits into a broader framework of farmers' organizations and the victories they have achieved in a time of profound socio-economic transformation.