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In 1974, Portugal was freed from 48 years of dictatorship,
become known as "Carnation Revolution".
Then, they come from an illiteracy rate of 33%,
to equals European Union´s average rate!
They've reduced the infant mortality rate
from 55,5% to 3,1%!
One of the lowest, in all Europe.
They increased compulsory schooling by 50%.
All Portuguese urban slums were extinct,
and increased life expectancy from 67,1 to 79,5 years old.
They achieved all this in less than a generation,
and without any sort of Marshall plan!
And yes, it's true, they haven't done everything well.
Sometimes, Portuguese people, wasted money on unnecessary things:
They have lots of the Europe´s best automobiles...
41,3% come from... German!
they installed the largest electric car supply networks in europe
all supplied by... German companies!
And They're still waiting for the electric cars ...From Germany.
They also spent billions of euros in state-of-the-art submarines.
...German submarines!
In 2004, to accommodate the Euro 2004 (2004 UEFA European Football Championship)
they invested 675 million euros in stadiums,
mostly constructed by... German enterprises!
Every year, all the trades between the two countries, results in a profit
of more than 3.3 million of euros... To Germany!
Besides all that, in the past year, they reduced salaries, pensions, social benefits, public services
removed all christmas and holiday bonuses, health, education and reduced social security expenses...
they've highly raised the prices of all public services, increased the retirement age,
taxes highly raised on consumption, transportation, housing... Well, in fact... In everything that exists!
2 records were broken! The biggest spending-cuts and the highest increasing taxes in history!
Still, it seems to be not enough, since some people think...
They don’t work hard enough... they do not pay enough taxes... they are always in parties...
LET´S CLARIFY THIS!...
They work 38,9 hours per week.
...More than the Germans!
They work until 67 years old.
...Much, much more than the Germans!
But the Germans should know all this already...
If they take a look at the 150.000 Portuguese hard workers, in German country.
Portuguese have 22 vacation days per year.
...Less than the Germans!
They only have 9 holidays per year.
...Less than the Germans!
On average, the Portuguese worker earn 1.171 euros per month.
Only half as the German worker! And even so...
They pay more taxes... Much more taxes!
There are only 2 countries in Europe, that taxes more than 50%, their rich people.
...Germany and Portugal!...
What they have, is a slightly different concept of rich people....
Even so, Portuguese, always saw the European project, as a project of solidarity.
In last 10 years, German exports have more than duplicated.
In last 10 years, Portuguese unemployment have more than triplicated.
Even so, when they protest, they protest ...in the Portuguese way.
In 1990 Germany, unilaterally, declared that his own old debt had expired.
No protests, at all, from the Portuguese.
In 2005 Germany violated the accorded deficit limits.
They were forgived by Europe Union.
The Portuguese not only didn´t protested, but, they supported that decision.
They knowed that was not fair to demand to the German people
to work even more, pay more taxes, get lower wages, or even have cuts in their pensions.
The Portuguese have always seen the European project, as a solidarity project...
"Tear down this wall!" - Ronald Reagan
...And, for sure, Germans see the European project that way, too.
In Europe, "Berlin walls" don´t exist anymore since 1989!