[199X]

Im Argentinian and lived here almost my whole life (30y) except a for 5 years in the Netherlands. I Agree with your comment, it is embedded in the culture. But I disagree that people are the same at their own level, on the contrary. The problem is that this is not a new issue, we have the same goverment for the last 20 years and inflation and corruption is always getting worst. During the 90s we had 1USD == 1Peso. Nowadays 1USD == 320Pesos, and thats 24% more than two weeks ago, and usually inflation is at least 5% per month!. I have no problem with high taxes if those reflect to the services goverment gives back (like the nordic countries). But if you pay 50% taxes on paycheck, then 20% on everything you buy, then 5% per month on inflation, and the result is an insecure unstable shithole is totally not fair. I promote paying and reciving paymentes on cash or crypto, and do my very best to avoid taxes, credit cards, bank accounts, etc. Because the politicians are destroying my country and I dont want to finance that.

[likortera]

In my opinion, people are destroying the country, not just politicians (they're people too, after all) because they would do the same the politicians do if they have the chance, for the same reasons you have (if I don't do it, I'm the only idiot).

It is a "positive reinforcement" loop with negative consequences for everyone and there is no easy way out of it.

I agree that you cannot be the only one "doing it right". Of course...that wouldn't fix anything and you'd be screwed. But do you see the problem? Everyone has the exact same argument you have for doing it, this the cultural thing I was talking about.

As another example, my friend's father passed away a few years ago. As everyone over there he had all of his saved money hidden at home. His own brother stole all the money just hours before his dad passed away.

As I said on my initial comment, this happens everywhere on every country, but the proportions and the impunity on which this shit happens over there is just unbelievable. This is an example of what I mean with "everyone would do it at their level". It's just that politicians have more opportunities to do it.

[the_af]

We haven't had the same government for the last 20 years, and furthermore, we've had corruption and economic problems for far longer than the past two decades (where, in fact, we experienced a limited recovery).