Portuguese Colonial Act

António de Oliveira Salazar

In 1930 Dr. António de Oliveira Salazar became the Prime Minister of Portugal. He was the architect of the Portuguese Colonial Act, which affected Portuguese India, differentiating them from the metropolitan Portuguese people.^[1][2] Because of this act the Portuguese Indians lost a great deal of benefits. These included free trips to Portugal for rest and recreation, their allowances became lower than those of the white officials, and other facilities that the white Portuguese had overseas were not available to Portuguese Indians.^[1]

“	This image of the easily adaptable Portuguese who populated the colonies of Africa and America, thanks to their lack of prejudice toward black and Indian women, was to remain one of the strongest ideological artifices of Portuguese colonisation	”
	— Brazilian anthropologist, Alcida Ramo

The Portuguese Colonial Act of 1930 was repealed only in 1950, in part because of the contributions of Dr. Froilano de Mello. He was a Goan Catholic doctor and also an independent member of parliament in Lisbon.^[1] He represented Goa in the Assembly of the Republic. He fought for the rights of Portuguese Indians. De Mello was so successful that, from 1950, Goans regained their status and were treated in equal terms like other Portuguese citizens from the metropolis.^[1]

“	It is in keeping with the organic nature of the Portuguese nation to fulfil its historical function of possessing and colonising overseas territories and civilising the native populations thereof, and to exercise the moral influence which is bound up with the Padroado of the East.	”
	— Section 2 of the Portuguese Colonial Act

References

1. "Portuguese Nationality Law". Archived from the original on 2009-08-03. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
2. "Jouvert 6.1 - 2: Anthony Simoes da Silva, "De/Colonising Tales"". Retrieved 2009-04-01.