Hi guys,
Apologies for the blunt post and please tell me if I break any rules here.
Around four years ago, I moved to the UK from Indonesia. Naturally, I tried to learn about all the cultural differences to make a smooth transition. Then I came across the [Hofstede Cultural Dimensions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede%27s_cultural_dimensions_theory) that tried to score each countries societal traits.
What strikes me the most is how it portrays [Portugal as a collectivist society](https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/indonesia,portugal,spain,the-uk/), an anomaly with the rest of Western Europe, which is more individualist. If you removed the labels, I wouldn’t blame anyone for guessing Portugal as an East or Southeast Asian country (apologies if you feel offended by this, but I have no malicious intent with this statement).
I think it’s fair to say that there is some correlation between a collectivist society with better handling of the pandemic – both of which makes Portugal a standout amongst other European countries, especially recently.
I guess my dumb question would be simple: why? I’m sure there won’t be a simple explanation for such a complex phenomenon, but I would appreciate anyone sharing a thought or two.
Obrigado!
2 comments
We are a very homogenous country. Our borders have been pretty much the same for almost 800-900 years, and we haven’t suffered much from foreign ethnic ‘invasions’ or mixing either. Hence were are almost like a ‘race’ of our own. And that displays subconsciously in our behaviour collectively
Same borders (in continental europe) almost since its creation, heavly roman catholic population up until recently, edge of europe so less influence, in a heavly nationalistic dicatorship in our grandparents/parents time (whose principles where god, nation, family).