Uses and abuses of political economy in Portuguese parliamentary debates (1850-1910)

This article discusses the use made of political economy in Portuguese parliamentary debates throughout the second half of the nineteenth century. This case-study highlights the popularization of political economy in the discussion of economic and financial policies, concerning issues such as the implementation of transport systems, the reform of the fiscal system, the nature of monetary regimes and financial crises, the control of public debt, the emergence of social problems, the allocation of colonial resources or the choice between free trade and protectionist policies. Political economy played an important role, providing persuasive arguments to justify certain policy options. However, the very same arguments also proved themselves as rhetoric abuses, given the propensity of the members of the Parliament to quote economic writers without a thorough knowledge of their work.