Kadu
01-02-2010, 12:00 AM
This book is concerned with Portugal, but Portugal is a small part of a semi-isolated peninsula which seems to be, and is, in many respects, a natural unit. Yet a Portuguese is not a Spaniard. No Portuguese would say otherwise, and probably few foreigners who know both nations would disagree. Spaniards, however, may take exception to such a statement, for the belief is traditional in Spain that the unitary quality of the peninsula is the important fact and that differences are negligible. Spaniards point to physical areas common to both Spain and to Portugal and to the mutually shared historical experiences under the Romans, the Visigoths, and the Moslems. In view of these facts, they say it is culturally contradictory, economically disadvantageous, and politically inexpedient that one small section be divorced from the rest of the peninsula. The Portuguese reply to the Spanish contention is apt to be something [5] like this -- "Of course we are part of the peninsula, and we obviously share common peninsular traits with Spaniards, but the peninsula is not homogeneous. Our part of it is unique, and our habits and attitudes are distinct. We make up an independent unit with good reason."
Source (http://libro.uca.edu/stanislawski/index.htm)
Source (http://libro.uca.edu/stanislawski/index.htm)