Behind the Bastards Part One: Antonio Salazar: The Smartest Fascist Dictator
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Jul 15, 2025 Join Jeff May, a recurring guest and podcast enthusiast, as he dives into the life of Antonio Salazar, the cunning Portuguese fascist dictator. They explore Salazar's rise to power during Portugal's political turmoil, juxtaposing his adept economic strategies with his ruthless governance. The conversation humorously labels dictatorial skills while dissecting Salazar's enigmatic leadership style and personal paradoxes. From his privileged upbringing to controversial romantic entanglements, the discussion reveals the complexities that shaped this notorious figure and his regime.
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Salazar's Technical Dictatorship
- Antonio Salazar was a finance professor who became a long-ruling dictator of Portugal from the 1930s to 1970s.
- He combined economic expertise with authoritarian control, balancing budgets ruthlessly to maintain power.
Salazar and Fascism
- Salazar's relationship with fascism is complex: he used fascist tools but disliked cult of personality and ideology.
- He was primarily a Catholic conservative economist focused on stability, not ideological fascism.
Salazar's Family Rise
- Salazar's family rose to middle class thanks to his mother's tavern business beside a new railway station.
- This small entrepreneurial success contrasted with typical illiteracy in their rural village.