ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that an administrator's political attitudes are important determinants of behavior and must be compatible with and responsive to democratic styles of decisionmaking if the administrative apparatus in Portugal is ever to be reformed. Data on social origins and political attitudes were gathered using a survey instrument based on a closed questionnaire developed at the University of Michigan to study political attitudes of administrative and political elites in West Europe and the United States. Directors-general (DG) continued to be key personnel in the policymaking process. Therefore, to begin to make the administrative apparatus more responsive to democratic leadership, Portugal's new political elite sought to install individuals in the strategic positions whom they thought would be more open to the new democratic policy process. Portuguese DGs seem to be comparatively the least elitist and relatively tolerant of conflict, which would not be expected given this tradition.
