To those who planned it, the Portuguese coup may hive seemed at the time to be rather a simple, open-and-sbut job. In the event it has come more to resemble Pandora's box, unleashiny repercussions whose effects could be world-wide.
Elsewhere we jook at the consequences the coup could have for the balance of forces in southem Africa. Brazil too-which as a former colony still has close trade, diplomatic and cultural links with Portugal-could also-be affected. But above all the coup will have an immediate and wide-ranging impact on the situation in Europe.
RISE OF STRUGGLE
In the past few months we have seen dramatic evidence of a new rise of workers' struggles in Western Europe. The miners' strike in Red Weekey Britain, the Lip occupation in France, the massive public secior strikes in Gerany, the big Fist strugale in Italy, the Swerish and Belgian dockers" strikes, the mass upsurge in Greece last November-all have demonstrated a new working class militancy and forced the bosses back on the descosive throughout Еигорс.
Now the weight of a mass workers movement in Portugal nas also been thrown into the balance. At the very least the European capitolist class will have to tolerate the presence of a Communist Party in the government. And such is tbe strength of the present workers' offensive in Europe that it may well bave to prepare for a similar situadon an France ano tray acrore ver The capitalists, of course-aided by the politics of the Costunist General Spinole — architect of "Vietnam' type policy in African colonies that this is simply a holding opera tion while the capitalist forces regroup. But for the workers' moveary leadership in struggle.
Nowhere will the impact of the comp be greater than in Spain, Faced Franco, and still recovering from the assassination of Carrero Blanco last lain its hold through greater and greater repression.
removes an essentil prop from the Tand were to be elected in France. the France regime could well find itself caught in a pincer movement. The Spanish workers who hase launched struggle after strudele in the last lew years-would not fail to take advantage of such a developThe Partuguese coup wilt not simply change the balance of farces between capitalisis and the workers* movement, bowever, Just as impor tant will he its role as a crucible u which various political ideas dod Portugual's conscript army celebrates the downfall of the dictatorship ment it will offer unparalleled opportunities for building a new revoltson SPAIN choose to ignore them.
wien the proolen or Loe suceros as December, the regimo can only mainNow the fall of the Cactano regime Spanish dictatorship's side. I Mitter"neutrality'? an expenence.