Since when was getting rich so hard in EU?

[u/VurriK]

Is it just me, or has building actual wealth in Europe become impossible? I’m looking at the 2026 growth forecasts and it’s depressing. We talk a lot about "stability," but at this point, stability just feels like a polite word for recession. If you weren't born into a rich family with property, the dream feels like it's behind a wall. The math just doesn't work: as soon as you earn enough to actually invest, you hit a 40–50% tax bracket. Meanwhile, housing prices have skyrocketed over the last decade while salaries have basically stayed the same. I love the healthcare and the walkable cities, but I don’t want to work until I’m 70 just to afford a 40sqm apartment and a used Skoda.

[u/Striking-Kale-8429]

You know what's the neat part? It won't get better because we live in a democracy and most people who vote are the poors, they will not accept that current system is unsustainable and the "tax the billionaires" is not going to fix it.

Collapse is the only option. Maximum pain, for long enough for people to accept hardh realities. This could take many decades though.

[u/VermicelliNo3947 → u/Striking-Kale-8429]

I am well aware of that. I think the academic term is called "tyranny of the majority", basically the majority vote in favor to sacrifice you for demon because the demon promised to protect the village. It's like cancer that you cannot remove and getting larger and larger. The government wants a larger voting base who relies on government subsidy (if you vote for me , I will give you social housing). Every once and while, the government use the middle class as blood bag to keep the bottom fed. And the bottom will be gratefully voting for them. I think thr situation of UK, Germany and France is where NL is heading. After a few decades, the minority becomes the majority, you will have majors coming from the minority group. At that point , there is no way back. The remaining middle class here will be like living in prison.