This book is a contribution to European comparative history involving Portugal and Slovakia, but also the larger geographic units of Iberia and Slavic Central Europe. While developments in Portugal and Slovakia predominate, Spain, the Czech lands, and other regions are discussed as well. The subjects investigated include the position of women and the activities of messianic thinkers in the seventeenth century as well as semi-fascist Catholic political movements in the twentieth century. The authors look at the subject matter from the viewpoint of politics, social phenomena, and culture. The cultural dimension includes religion and ideology, both of which have clearly been of critical importance in Portuguese and Slovak history. It also includes problems of ethno-linguistic and national identity and the more recent phenomenon of multiculturalism, whose social promotion is controversial and uncertain. "This comparative study by Zuzana Poláčková and Peter C. van Duin, a collection of essays, is a revelation, especially for students of European authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, and, furthermore, anybody interested in European history." —Josette Baer, Professor, UZH University of Zurich "This book gives proof to Cicero’s dictum: "Historia magistra vitae est"—without knowledge of the past we cannot build a sustainable future. Thanks to the authors for this great contribution to knowledge!" —Lucia Mokrá, Professor of International Law, Comenius University, Bratislava "This collection of essays provides not only fascinating insights into the political workings of these two small states, but of the workings of politics in the larger Iberian / Slavic context. Highly recommended." —Dr. David Reichardt, International Relations, Webster University, Saint-Louis, Missouri "A very important contribution to the study of the comparative history of Europe, and therefore I fully recommend its publication." —Mgr. Juraj Marušiak, PhD. Institute of Political Science, public research institution, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republicweiterlesen