Silva, Manuel Carlos2023-09-082023-09-082019http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/28515To explain the peasants ‘conservatism’ in Northwest of Portugal, as well the obstacles to rural local development, the author, in addition to underline elsewhere the specificity of the peasant economy and several strategies of rural dwellers (marriage, inheritance and migration), in this article stresses the relevance of the political factor, namely the dependency of most residents facing the old or new local patrons (caciques). These, in a strategy of reproduce the local power on a familist base, subject those now by moral imperative, now by the gift, financial and administrative favor, converting these favors in family benefits or economic and political dividends.engpeasantryconservatismerural developmentpatronagePortugalPeasants, Brokers and the State: Competition and Dividends in Familist Local Politics in Two Villages in the Northwest of PortugalCampesinos, corredores y el Estado: Competencia y dividendos en la política local familiarista en dos pueblos del noroccidente de PortugalCamponeses, corretores e Estado: Competência e dividendos na política local familiarista em dois povoados do noroeste de Portugaljournal article10.11144/Javeriana.cdr16-83.pbts