Brian
they had to spent quite a lot of money! and they also had their corpses coming over in black bags! Also Greece had to spend a lot of money for the Olympic Games, money which she could not afford Everybody was heavily taxed because of it, even people living on the islands, far from the centre of action. Portugal and Spain were thriving economies, Italy had good manufacturing industries, design and very high standard of living.
The use of credit was not so extended in Europe as it is in England and USA. You either saved for what you wanted or you gave up. Being in debt was a stigma. Then the wars, the globalisation of the economy changed the local systems. In Europe we all pay more or less the same in taxes, the difference is that here the economical system studies every possible way for your money to go back into it again. You are bombarded continuously with demands of money, you have no space. Anyway, public transports are not a luxury, but necessity, especially if you want people to go to work and keep working until they drop! You have to keep the basic necessities in order and affordable.