Yellow Vests movement and current massive BLM protests in Europe (and elsewhere) are a clear testimony that your assumption about Europe being a “modern functioning society” is completely wrong. The undertone of all these protests is inequality in all its shapes and colors. I vividly remember 80s and 90s so to me your words sound like the hollow propaganda of that “beautiful capitalism with human face” of yesteryear, which turned out to work only for those who do not hesitate to lower their moral standards to earn a buck, otherwise they can hope to be merely slaves. And the reasoning behind it was sound — sell your soul and bow to the system, or don’t whine that you are a slave, it’s your choice (but it’s 6000 years like this, without any substantial change, merely with numerous technological face-lifts).

As it seems, you want a system where you have a comfortable place on the totem pole — not too high, as you obviously don’t like responsibility but don’t mind being complicit (or think that you are not that complicit), and not too low as you are clearly accustomed to a certain material standard. TBH, I really thought that you are of greater caliber. And btw. when you say that “economics hold the key to the destinies of societies” it’s totally bonkers, too. Figuring out why, I leave to you as a homework. That is, if you will even be bothered to read this rant.