ABSTRACT
Rigid, orthodox, decaying, mouldering like an antique ruin in the tropical heat, the Portuguese empire slept on. As it moved into the turbulence of modern times, it found apologists because they thought that they discovered one feature, more liberal by far than could be discovered in the other great and more flourishing empires. The coastal people exhibit a series of specific characteristics that have been broadly maintained for several centuries. Such a strong transmission of customs must be regarded as a fundamental factor in the interpretation of the social and political behaviour of the ethnic groups. The 19th century saw the start of systematic colonialism and the introduction of new forms of exploitation. This decisive era explains the emphasis that Portugal and its colonial ideology laid on Guine. The changes effected in the final years of the colonial presence rested on a conspicuous worsening of social relations in the regions under the control of the provincial government.
