Thinsg were going well for median Polish worker. They are still going fine.
https://www.dw.com/en/is-inequality-widening-in-poland/a-61910652
That doesn't look like it. People not starving does not mean 'things are going fine'.
Pensioners on another hand... that is different story. They have really tough time now
There you have the proof that things were not going fine now, don't you. Capitalism starts grinding the society down always from the pensioners, who are seen as 'useless eaters'. The rest come next.
...
Some regions in some countries in Europe were doing ok compared to many others. Certain regions of Germany, certain regions in France come to mind. Polish agriculture that was subsidized by the Eu keeping a certain segment of Polish working class above the water can easily give the impression to the white collar segments that 'things are fine'. But not sinking does not mean that things are good. And this reflects on people's actions - like increasing extremism, nationalism, conservatism. Poland has been showing those signs for a long time. Unless the way things are going is changed, things will get worse.
harsh winter
Even without a harsh winter things will get much worse, especially in countries that have taken a hostile stance against Russia - Germany, Scandinavian countries, especially Poland. They have gone further than the US in being hostile to Russia. Russia will just take elsewhere the energy business that these countries don't want.
Its intentional.
The US policy makers have been advocating against removing the Eu as an economic competitor since 2005. This is that project finally maturing. Its amazing how there is little awareness of that hostility in Eu public even as US policymakers openly advocate and push for it.
