Although seventeenth century Spain and Portugal, the two most Catholic countries in the World, had the two biggest empires on Earth, the truth is that they lost the propaganda war that was waged against them and Catholicism by Protestants and Jews from Northern Europe.
The Protestant Reformation and the French Revolution were, first of all, battles of ideas against Catholic culture and the two countries, and their empires, which represented it best - Spain and Portugal. It was a silly war of propaganda involving lies, exaggerations, stereotypes and myths of all sorts, some of them prevailing still today. Spanish and Portuguese intellectuals failed miserably at it and were defeated.
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It was under the full influence of their Catholic culture that, starting in the late fifteenth century, Portugal and Spain built two large overseas empires. From 1580 onwards when the two countries were reunited again under Filipe II, Spain had the biggest empire the World has ever seen. And yet, Spanish and Portuguese intellectuals were not able to defend the culture and values which enabled them to fly so high. Instead, they surrendered and, in some cases, they actually joined the enemy.
It was under the full influence of their Catholic culture that, starting in the late fifteenth century, Portugal and Spain built two large overseas empires. From 1580 onwards when the two countries were reunited again under Filipe II, Spain had the biggest empire the World has ever seen. And yet, Spanish and Portuguese intellectuals were not able to defend the culture and values which enabled them to fly so high. Instead, they surrendered and, in some cases, they actually joined the enemy.
From the mid-eighteenth century, at least, it was already clear in the writings of Portuguese intellectuals and politicians that what is good is what is foreign to them, usually coming from France, Germany and England - ideas, institutions, even dress and manners. By contrast, what is Portuguese and Catholic had no value to them. In this respect, the whole of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth century is a tragedy of gigantic proportions with the likes of Eça de Queirós and Antero de Quental.
This attitude of defeat and surrender by Portuguese intellectuals and politicians mixed with the most uncritical admiration for what is foreign and the most intense disdain for their own people and culture, is still prevailing today in Portuguese society. It is, in my view, the most important single factor in the country's present day social and economic difficulties.
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