Loading ...The northern countries were the hardworking innovators, the southern ones the subsistence nations, doing just enough to get by, fishing, farming, a few buildings, rest of the time on the beach or dealing with amorous females. Not that there is anything wrong with that, per se, a relaxed lifestyle is great – but don’t expect the trappings of mechanised and electrified economies for free.
The northern countries then started lending money to the southern countries to buy their stuff. We know where that ended up. Where is Italy’s industrial heart? In the north, where they do get snow and cold winters. Where is Spain’s manufacturing base? No snow. No base.
But the northern countries have imported millions of real southerners, from the ME and Africa. These people don’t know how to work, or even why they should. In the good old days a village might have its idiot, and they were tolerated and looked after as part of life, not their fault anyway. Now 10% of the village comprises of intentional idiots. This will not end well.