Porque razão uns são assim, e outros, não? Claro que tem que ver com a história, mas quais as características determinantes?

As respostas são variadas, e como estamos a falar de realidades complexas, todas terão alguma capacidade explicativa - a dificuldade está em como destrinçar o contributo relativo de cada uma. O que se diz abaixo, tem interesse, cola com aquilo que se sabe - aliás cruza com a problemática das diferenças em capital social e as consequências disso para a dotação em confiança existente em diferentes sociedades (Robert Putnam).. É óbvio que não acredito que explique tudo

"I think cynicism is often a corrosive force in Europe, especially in France and the countries of southern Europe that I know reasonably well. And I think there is a link between European cynicism and that sense of enfranchisement I found in America. Put rather harshly, bits of Europe are held back by something like the cynicism of the disenfranchised: the natural suspicion, caution and bleakness of those with no real stake in or power over their societies. Such cynicism sees the world as a zero sum game. In the past, this was pejoratively labelled 'peasant cunning'. Giuseppe di Lampedusa wrote about the 19th century Sicilian peasants who, in plain view of their home village on the very next hilltop, would deny any knowledge of its whereabouts if asked for directions by a stranger—just to be on the safe side. Today, Europe suffers from the cynicism of the tax evader who assumes that his political masters are also stealing money, so why fund them? [...]."

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