[R_G]

Simple question, Italy was by far the poorest of the Six and Portugal was even poorer than Italy.

Now Italy, a large and central country makes some sense but Portugal?

It was the poorest in Europe next to Albania for decades.

Some explanation would be nice.

[Rilzik]

I don't know much about the formation of the EU or the Franco-European relations but could this have been a move to cement a democratic (U.K./French) foothold on the Iberian peninsula since Spain was still fascist and still not a UN member on France's boarder?

Also was economic standardization such a high priority then? You may be projecting our concerns today onto history.

[Prosthetic Conscience]

Just to clear things up, it joined the European Community in 1986, the same time as Spain, when it enlarged from 10 to 12. When it was renamed the European Union in 1993, it could be said to be an initial member of the EU 12, I suppose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics ... nlargement

As that link shows, Portugal's GDP per capita was not quite as far away from the existing countries ($8,641 to $15,312) as Ireland's had been in 1973 ($6,867 to $12,374). Ireland had integrated happily into the EC. Portugal was fully democratic by 1986. There was no reason not to let it join. It was far richer than the Warsaw Pact countries in 1986, so it was not "the poorest in Europe next to Albania for decades":

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY. ... .CD?page=5
Hungary $2255
Poland $1972
Portugal $3815
etc.

[Soulflytribe]

I think this happened solely because Portugal became a communist state for a brief period in the '70s and the West wanted to secure Portugal as a non-communist nation because of its strategic geographic location in Europe.
Since the end of WW2 the US has a military base in Portugal, in the Azores island, called Lajes Field.

I can't see other reasons than the one above. Portugal used to be the poorest country in Western Europe in the '70 and '80s, and still is today. Portugal had absolutely nothing to offer, it had a small, uneducated and starving population, non infraestructure whatsoever. And it was all built from scratch with EU money.

[J Oswald]

As that link shows, Portugal's GDP per capita was not quite as far away from the existing countries ($8,641 to $15,312) as Ireland's had been in 1973 ($6,867 to $12,374). Ireland had integrated happily into the EC.

There is an error in your calculation. $15,312 - $8,641 = $6,671. $12,374 - $6,867 = $5507. As such, Portugal's GDP per capita was further away from that of the existing EC members when it joined than Ireland's was in 1973.

[Zenno]

I think this happened solely because Portugal became a communist state for a brief period in the '70s and the West wanted to secure Portugal as a non-communist nation because of its strategic geographic location in Europe.

That is complete nonsense. Portugal could never be a communist state. There are a number of left wing parties in the countries (mostly representing conservative policies) because they were the only political force to oppose the repression under the right-wing Salazar dictatorship. Why are Americans forever obsessed with communism? It completely distorts their views and does terrible things to the World.

The EU (EC) also has nothing to do with defense. Portugal has been a NATO member since long before it joined the EU. EU membership also has nothing to do with GDP. Every European nation (even Turkey) has the right to EU membership as long as it fulfills certain requirements with regards to the rule of law, democracy and the like. The obstacle to EU membership was the Franco dictatorship in Spain and the Salazar dictatorship in Portugal. As soon as these two were gone, there was nothing to prevent EU membership. I was dancing in the streets of Paris with my Spanish and Portuguese friends when Franco died. Why is everyone so obsessed with the economy and with defense? Both Portugal and Spain have been central to European culture for over 500 years.

PS: The Portuguese military overthrew the Salazar dictatorship because it wasn’t prepared to bear the cost of colonial wars any longer, which were decimating the male population and dragging this tiny country down economically.

[houndred]

Portugal was not one of the original 13 countries

[Prosthetic Conscience]

As that link shows, Portugal's GDP per capita was not quite as far away from the existing countries ($8,641 to $15,312) as Ireland's had been in 1973 ($6,867 to $12,374). Ireland had integrated happily into the EC.

There is an error in your calculation. $15,312 - $8,641 = $6,671. $12,374 - $6,867 = $5507. As such, Portugal's GDP per capita was further away from that of the existing EC members when it joined than Ireland's was in 1973.

An absolute difference doesn't mean anything - it's the ratio you use to compare. 8641/15312=56.4% of the existing countries' GDP; 6867/12374=55.5%.