Conference on the socio-economic trends and policies in southern Africa: Portugal’s efforts towards neo colonialism

Abstract

The paper covered that for Guinea-Bissau political independence has already been achieved and that independence is planned for Mozambique to be realized this year and for Angola within less than one year, is being regarded by many people as something which by itself marks the end of relationships of dependence between these African territories and Portugal. Such a view is based on an incorrect evaluation of Portuguese colonialism today. Until the sixties of our century, the economic relations be¬ tween Portugal and her colonies were based on the classic colonial pact: the colonies, on a preferential basis, supplied Portugal with agricultural products and raw material at prices below world market prices, while at the same time serving as a market for Portuguese low quality manufactured goods that were not competitive on foreign markets} furthermore, the colonies were a source of foreign exchange that was needed to settle Portugal's chronically unfavorable trade balance. This development was the basis for a change in the Portuguese economy. The peoples of the former colonies could find in Portugal allies for their fight against colonialism - just the same as they, in the last few decades, found in Portugal allies against colonialism.