Historical analysis compares French and Portuguese revolutionary violence

A historical analysis compares the radicalization and internal violence of the French Revolution with the First Portuguese Republic. The comparison highlights a recurring political logic where revolutions, after dismantling existing orders, often fail to control the violence they have legitimized, eventually turning against their own creators.

In France, the revolution that began in 1789 transitioned from a movement for liberty and equality into the Reign of Terror, where political opponents were viewed as enemies of the revolution. Similarly, in Portugal, the First Republic experienced a period of intense internal conflict, exemplified by the ‘Bloody Night’ of October 19–20, 1921. During this event, key protagonists of the October 5 revolution, including Machado Santos and Carlos da Maia, were assassinated.