The “good men” of the land: the Lavoura Corporation and the Estado Novo’s agrarian policy

Abstract

The Corporação da Lavoura, created in 1957, was the ultimate embodiment of the corporate regime in Portugal, more than 20 years after its beginning. The goal of this article is to explore the effects of this new organism on the agrarian policies, without forgetting, the ruling elite and its influence in the political scene. Preliminary results indicate that the Corporation was more a body for consultation and ratification of government decisions. Observing at a sectorial level, there was a greater attention to sectors that are more dynamic and connected with changes in food consumption but also with greater demand from the expanding industry.