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To put it in a nutshell:
-I may have underestimated Holland but what about the other smaller countries like Belgium, Switzerland etc? Aren´t they regarded as one of Europe? Can´t a great deal of their economic success be attributed to their being members of the family?
-Returning to Holland and Turkey, in any tug of war between nations or regions, one has to take into account several parameters, I admit GDP is one of them. Still, there are also other significant parameters such as population, economic depth, foreign trade, gold and foreign exchange reserves and ultimately military power.
-Your GDP example is meaningful for countries experiencing an apex status in their economic performances. If one country´s economy performs in close range to theoratical maximum and if nearly all that performance is registered using the legal avenues, then we can conclude that country has reached its practical maximum and we can barely talkabout a substantial potential for further growth. Holland with its limited land, a well-established tax system and welfare society is one such example.
Turkey on the other hand gets reflected in key economic parameters perhaps as one thirds of what it actually is. Tax dodging is rampant in Turkey, joblesness is artificially higher because of abuses in legal statements. Turkey´s current GDP is actually still a bit higher than that of Holland. In reality, however, if all the trade activity could be truthfully indicated, it could (as many say) would increase substantially. What is more Turkey resembles a fast train with all its economic dynamism, it is in the process of reaching its apex. When this is done, it will be a very formidable economic power in Europe. I may not live to see that but the way it looks, it will certainly happen in the near future.
Add to that the fact that, at the end of the day what really counts is purchasing power. In Turkey, we have always been able to buy our friends dinners and lunches whenever we wished and in Holland are you still doing it by Dutch treat? What do you think about your grossly expensive lives? Why is even water so expensive in your country, do you realize this situation creates an artificial aura of welfare which doesn´t translate into practical benefit. In fact, the only reason why Turkey is expensive in certain items such as energy and say automotive is the government´s desire to balance budget deficit. This forces us to drive lesser cars and do fewer miles on account of sky-rocketing prices.
What do you mean, water is expensive in Holland? In Turkey I have to by bottled water to get a simple drink, in Holland I pay about 1 lira for a big bottle of drinkable water from my own tap  My point was not about Turkey vs. Holland, but you are actually proof of what I´m saying. A lot, perhaps most Turkish people see Europe as a block that is uniform. Totalllly ignoring the past, the present, and also the future of all European countries that is so diverse. For example, Switzerland, that tiny country, is not part of the Euro. It doesn´t have to be, and doesn´t WANT to be because it has its own unique history of banking, which earns it a LOT of money. Europe is a continent, and the EU is just a group of countries... it is not A SINGLE country. Just like Turkey is on two continents, and it is part of NATO. NATO is not a single cultural entity.
And about your discrediting of Holland... Dutch treat is not called Dutch treat in Holland, but American style! We do this only with close friends, because we all want to give something to our friends. Than we debate about who picks up the bill for about half an hour "I´m taking the bill! No, let me pay!" that eventually, SOMETIMES, we decide to split it. It is a matter of fighting over the bill, not fighting over not paying. If you ever go out with a Dutch girl, please do not opt for "going Dutch", because she will never want to go out with you again. She will think you´re cheap, for not offering to pay the bill  And I think you should nuance your view of the "grossly expencive" life in Holland, and look at the people in Turkey who live on minimum wage. You will find that they think life in Turkey is grossly expencive.
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