Even though the countries of the Visegrad are significantly poorer than the so-called West, which is of course directly affecting wages and living standards, they are not really lagging behind.
The gap between the richest Germans and the runners-up from France is striking. 45,000 USD versus 38,000 USD if compared the GDP per capita makes a huge difference. In general, the gap between Germany and France is much bigger than between France and the Czech Republic.
It is evident that there is no such thing as the European first class. Poorer Visegrad countries are able to compete with the wealthiest countries in healthcare, education, diligence etc. Moreover, they are often beating the West in some categories.
The Germans and more so the French tend to pontificate the Central Europeans. However, they themselves don’t play a premier league anymore. The Brits, now leaving the EU, are outclassing them in several aspects, just as the Danes, Finns and Estonians. Not to mention a comparison between the US and Australia, for example, a country that is usually pilloried for its hardline approach toward migration.
