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Economist explains why Europeans are getting poorer... and happier. (youtu.be)

submitted 5 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Apologies for the previous fuckup. This time the link should be correct.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I definitely do think that I'm a bit out of date on housing with Germany, especially homelessness.

But I just can't comprehend how you think that the structural and generation spanning poverty of Germany is worse than the USA. The healthcare and higher education issue in USA alone assures stronger generational poverty than Germany, because if you're already poor then any health issues will guarantee you stay poor, unlike Germany, and if you are young and poor then you're limited in higher education, also causing you to stay poorer, unlike Germany.

I'd like to understand where you are coming from, but you keep saying that inequity is worse in Germany, but do not provide data or logical reasoning on how. Like, what is unique in Germany that would cause more overall poverty, according to you, than the USA?

Again, I know Germany is definitely not doing well the last couple of years, especially compared to other EU countries. But I do find it really, really hard to believe it's doing worse, if only because the social care system is stronger there than in the USA. Is it solely housing? Is it immigration that's affecting the statistics?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

Gratis higher education access is not a good indicator for social mobility, especially in Germany where that access is largely in theory only and has been gatekept already at elementary school level for a long time. I don't like to say so, as it is a common talking point by the right-wing, but the data is quite clear that in Germany at least gratis higher education is mostly just benefiting the already relatively well off and in effect is a net wealth transfer from poorer to richer households.

I am not saying that inequality is worse in Germany than in the US. It is about the same, but with different characteristics. And a lot of the social security net in Germany (as well intended as it might be) actually cements people's position in poverty, just slightly less bad poverty than you would see in countries without such a social security system. For example the health insurance payments are mandatory in Germany... and while they are still affordable by many people with stable jobs, for many people with precarious jobs or other issues they basically force them into the lowest rank social security system and to sell off all the assets they might own before that. So you end up with people that no matter what they try can't exit this poverty trap and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.