Even for the Carnation Revolution, it had to be the military, unhappy with the war, to actually do the work in the uprising. Notable exception is typically the well organized Communist Party, but even they have some difficulty in organizing truly debilitating general strikes.

These are attributed to Miguel Torga:
«É um fenómeno curioso: o país ergue-se indignado, moureja o dia inteiro indignado, come, bebe e diverte-se indignado, mas não passa disto.Falta-lhe o romantismo cívico da agressão. Somos, socialmente, uma colectividade pacífica de revoltados.»

The gist of it, the last sentence, goes: «Socially, we are a peaceful community of rebellious ones.»