Why the Balkans Are So Poor

[@LivingIronicallyinEurope]

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[@nirvana4evr]

Hi

[@death-istic9586]

Yo.❤

[@TheRezro]

Reason no. 1 Russia! Russia is a creep who devour future of any human being.

[@Markyboyplaysgames]

your videos are cool

[@Dracopol]

4:13 "Seeked" is actually not a word. The past tense for "seek" and the past participle as well is "sought". So "Britain sought..."

[@LurkerAnonymous]

"If we don't have infrastructure, the enemy can't conquer it." - The Balkans

[@xxx_these.flightless.wings_xxx]

The fact that this has unironically been my country's main war strategy for the entirety of the middle ages...

[@kony12356]

whe belgians use the same strategy. make your roads so shit they become part of the defense

[@pablo4yu]

@@xxx_these.flightless.wings_xxxsome states here in usa have that same philosophy… be so shit ass not worth conquering… so dependent on the union

[@Mortablunt]

@pablo4yu For real some of the deep south states, especially seem to think failing to develop himself with around money is some kind of flex because of all the extra aid it gets them like they’re scoring some kind of victory on the tax man from Washington. Brothers no, it is not a flex that you need three times per capita as much economic aid from DC as New York does! This is the equivalent of thinking, being in remedial classes as a flex because now the teachers have to teach you so much more.

[@aquilla2.087]

Which country?​@@xxx_these.flightless.wings_xxx

[@TABSman1]

I dont understand why you call us poor. We are not. Here in greece for example, I know at least ten people with more than 15€.

[@noocone7051]

Liar

[@JmKrokY]

💀

[@Kartlos1]

Lmao can't relate -This comment was made by the Turkish gang

[@wdvnge]

Invite me to your country

[@JeremyBaconThe1st]

Γειά σου συμπατριώτη

[@Lazar-TS]

Poor? I dunno man, as a Serbian myself, I'm living pretty comfortably here in Vienna.

[@ndnsjensbsuiajs7514]

Can approve as a Albanian living in London.

[@Kenos444]

As a croat living in vienna as well i agree with you.

[@Vragnarax]

Feh bunch of Economic Migrants... Well guess what boyos I'm a Serbo-Croatian living in Canada because according to Bosnia and Herzegovina I don't exist.... because Yugoslavia doesn't exist....

[@stit6582]

Me as a Romanian too in a Franconian city

[@Gejmi]

Any of y'all wanna help a balkaner move? XD

[@wfttv4473]

1. Byzantine's heavy taxes 2. Ottoman's heavy taxes 3. The Ottoman became an underdeveloped country in the 1700s-1800s 4. World Wars 5. Communism 6. Corrupted governments 7. Civil wars Note: Anatolia was poorer than the Balkans due to the Ottoman's low interest to Anatolia so they rebelled several times (Especially the Celali rebellion) and when the Ottomans lose the Balkans, they fucked up.

[@brngvrn]

"Communism" actually improved things A LOT

[@alexandernaydenov7539]

Socialism you mean

[@isimsizoyuncular30orj]

Ok after 18th century ottoman was sh!t but before that ottoman saved balkans

[@텍스트나우]

​@@isimsizoyuncular30orj 전혀. 오스만이 발칸반도를 구했다는 근거는 뭐임?

[@orthodox-mp6hv]

@@isimsizoyuncular30orj Saved us from what? The renaissance?

[@DjDeadpig]

The governments money was blown off on crazy hamburgers.

[@Adro_YT]

Nah thats crazy.. 🍔

[@ivansobr]

xd

[@hunterthompson6737]

I'm so proud of my country of origin Bosnia being shown in red on the corrpution map , beautiful.

[@Daniel_Lancelin]

@hunterthompson6737 If the map was honest, the whole planet would be deep red bro. 😅

[@94Jackal]

“SKIBIDI TOILET IS TRYING TO KILL ME”

[@Spacethugs]

Idk why I'm watching this, I live in fucking Africa

[@Tanaka1943]

Im sorry to hear that

[@NikoCigoj]

are you Walter Black?

[@Just_a_turtle_chad]

Balkans never stole from Africa so that's something

[@aarholodian]

My sincere condolences

[@Da...]

You mean Albania? 🇦🇱

[@Nowyuiiiseee]

If every edgy kid who obsesses over the Balkans have one usd to eqch of the Balkan governments, south Eastern Europe would enter a new golden age

[@Amparito847]

Bro why are you calling me out like this

[@sexydog]

if that happened they would collapse to 300 separate governments on purpose

[@NickResen]

No, it would just go to the new electric G wagons.

[@quan-uo5ws]

nah the politicians will just steal the money lol

[@AtamanPerplex]

@@NickResentrue

[@J10044]

Being originally from Western Europe and having lived and worked in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania it is pretty clear to me that Eastern Europe is moving forward rapidly, while the Western part is going down.

[@CHitis2400]

This is it bro. And this is mainly because the west used loans and dept to grow the economy unsustainably without repaying or even slowing down. Eventually, even the slightest corruption and it all collapses. As it did in the past 30 years. The collapse of the SU allowed western leaders to become sick with the power they had and ruined their own countries and actually started exploiting places like the Balkans for example, Africa, Asia, bombed the one who didn’t agree, etc… They ruined it for literally everyone. I feel its like different Mafias took over the western worlds because everything they’ve done for the past 20-30 years has led everything downwards. Western currency is devalued like never before and ppl are essentially modern slaves at this point. Can’t afford a home… Also, there is no escape from the upcoming collapse due to bank interest rates being so low and the dept just keeps piling. Its on a highway to Argentina’s situation.

[@samuel.heinrich]

100÷ true. Cheers from Switzerland

[@frgv4060]

That seems the case.

[@dannyboy-vtc5741]

Nah dude, the difference is that when you are low on development, a poor country, it's fairly easy with some stable government to achieve rapid growth, even like in serbian example boosting the gdp with huge infrastructure projects instead of industrial development, financed from expensive or even not announced loans from china and arabian countries, while manufacturing is solely foreign firms with government subsidies paying the minimal wage and making the profits for the owners only, i agree that those countries that are in the eu have it a bit better, as the loans are not extortionist, and a lot of non refundable investments, and better control on spending, but when you reach a certain point close to the average of the eu development index, then it gets hard to catch up with the top, the west can go down for 30 more years and the east won't catch it completely for sure. I can tell you from my point of view, living in croatia, so yeah we were better off than serbia and bosnia even in yu times, but the war fucked us up properly, ultimate shite after the war, the second half of the 90s, then the change of government, big infrastructure projects and growth with that, but 7-8 years later, most were finished, but the payment rates stayed, then the hard work began, and ofc negotiations for the membership, funds from there, all that helped ofc, but it was the final step of dealing with corruption on large scale and petty one alike that granted us the membership finally in 2013. And again it depends on the government, their capabilities and decisions strategically speaking, for instance in 2013 we were far behind hungary by wages, as they were earlier in the eu and used it to their advantage, ten years later they are equally far behind us by wages due to utterly corrupt government of orban and his clique, and membership can't help with that at all. But even when all is kosher, like slovenia, didn't have distruction during the war, became a member far earlier, being bit richer even at the start in 91, they still aren't there, they are half way between us and the western europe, and now we are catching them faster than they are catching the western coast, because they are close to the eu average dev level and to be above that if much harder than just to catch up, the law of deminishing returns, and they are fairly small country, well connected, not stretched out in geography like we are, so it was easrier to level up the standard of all on half the number of citizens that we had to, but still, they are aight, but they won't be exactly switzerland for a long period of time, neither we will. One thing to mention, that is important, is that inequality in slovenia and croatia is a lot less than in say serbia that has a bigger gap between average and median wage than we do with half the wages of ours, but huge inequality egists in some very rich countries like britain or france, so yeah it could be that difference between the lower class brit or scot and lower class croat and slovene won't be big, but middle and upper class will differ a lot more, or won't but they will have more of them. Having said that, i'm living in officially the poorest county in croatia for decades, lowest average income, when i look at those englich yt channels about english turd towns, all borded up, gray and shabby, drunk and drugged up people, our town looks shiny, no boarded up stores, vibrant, people sitting in caffee teraces all around the town core, schools are mostly new or refurbished, the hospital is fairly decent and well equipped, for a town up north on a hungarian border, mostly rural settings, with not much industry, some but not much, as it was near the iron fence, we fare decently, and in comparison with those brithish turd towns, we look absolutely peachy, so it's not only in how much cash you have, but also how you spend it, having said that, most european small and mid towns look like that, decent, maybe what he mention south of romania, some places in bulgaria and some questionable areas elsewhere can be a bit run down, but most, tge huge majority of the eu members small towns look decent, brits cocked it up like nobody else before them since the last plague.

[@dondardha1993]

Not fast enough. The youngsters are all leaving or have left. Thats really bad news. As an albanian,I can tell that the country will never recover. Communism destroyed us.

[@wso4272]

They chose the wrong focus trees

[@Agramsch]

or just played Empire Earth in reverse!

[@JmKrokY]

🗿

[@penetrationskommentar877]

@@Agramschif you liked empire earth you may try out war selection.

[@SaulBadman-wb5kt]

They devved up manpower instead of production

[@plazmica0323]

we tried new meta build when everyone else updated their game several times

[@maximk9964]

When in doubt blame the Turks.

[@JmKrokY]

💀

[@georgepapatheofilou6118]

To my Turkified ex relatives and neighbours Merhaba

[@TommyM.Pickles]

They've brought it on themselves.

[@Just_a_turtle_chad]

Balkans under turk control was actually deserving of respect.

[@georgepapatheofilou6118]

@@Just_a_turtle_chad Yeah right Osman gone Carry on

[@free_at_last8141]

There is a direct correlation between femboy per capita and wealth per capita on that map. What comes first is the question.

[@Just_a_turtle_chad]

They were richer and more prosperous under mighty Ottoman rule.

[@Pavlos_Charalambous]

​@@Just_a_turtle_chadthe Christians under ottoman rule was nothing more than serf What you think "Raya" is standing for?

[@touchingisjustthefirststep]

The ottomans fucked those areas up @@Just_a_turtle_chad

[@jabloko992]

@@Just_a_turtle_chad obvious bait is obvious. Next time, post stuff like this with a user like @MIGHTYPROUDTÜRKPATRIOT or something

[@cyrack_cyanide]

The wealth.

[@ReAl-uu8ku]

immigrating from a Balkan country last century, I thought we were poor and then I saw renters living in Niagara region in Canada. They were poor, filthy and all screwed up!

[@BeachVolleyB]

A product of socialism. The bad is that it tried to equalize everyone to a common low, the good is that the common low is higher than the absolute low of some under capitalism.

[@avssify]

I thought we had it bad till I saw the situation of the countries of south east Asia and north Africa despite the abundance of resources. Not even wars, communism, corruption could set us back that much

[@jelenajm1160]

I also emigrated from the Balkans to Canada and am now realizing the the Balkans is way better then Canada at present

[@ohioisastate8574]

​@@jelenajm1160lol

[@euboean3079]

Nice video, a little simplistic though, there's still a few points you missed: 1) Feuding Culture inherited from Ottoman Empire - unlike Western Europe which had a centralised government continuously for hundreds of years, the Balkans inherited a culture built on favours as their language and society did not standardise like Western Europe during the industrial revolution - making them far more susceptible to a culture of political corruption. 2) The areas colonised by the Austro-Hungarian Empire saw huge amounts of development of their territory. The Austro-Hungarians did more to develop Sarajevo in 20 years than the Ottomans in 400 years, despite treating Bosnia as a colony. It's the reason that Croatia and Slovenia fare so well relative to their neighbours, with Slovenia itself actually being quite a wealthy country and way above average by European standards. 3) The Greek Debt Crisis of 2008 4) The role of the Italians - the Italians caused a lot of problems in the Balkans and fucked a lot of things up - most notably in Albania and Greece, as part of their efforts to have a colonial empire. 5) The total destruction of infrastructure and theft of resources by the Nazis with Greece and Yugoslavia losing 70-90% of all their key infrastructure - they did not do the same to France, the Benelux and Norway.

[@Pavlos_Charalambous]

99% of infrastructure for Greece plus a civil war until 1949 BTW there was a suggestion in some of Albania and Greece becoming a " double kingdom" like Austria - Hungary

[@robertaries2974]

🤓

[@seacrystal6189]

Can you elaborate on the first point?

[@ejoji4245]

@@Pavlos_Charalambousto be honest that would have been a much better alternative to the constant albanian immigration in greece

[@tomorrowneverdies567]

Poland was destroyed more than Greece, but now is wealthier than Greece. So is Romania. Personally, I have come to the conclusion that the most important reason why a place has a specific GDP per capita, a specific economy, a specific way of doing things in 2024, is because the secret (from "ordinary" people) organization that governs all these countries wants it this way. For example, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain were also parts of the Ottoman Empire. Why are they so much wealthier than Greece, and the rest of balkan countries? Taiwan and Singapore and Hong Kong were once poorer than the Balkans. Why are they so wealthy now? Because this organization wants them to be. Japan the same. I also notice, that in the past ~40 years every time the fertility of a country systematically increases within 3-4-5 years, an economic "crisis" "happens". The US, UK, Sweden, Iceland but even Greece all had increasing fertility rates when such a "crisis" hit them. So I have come to the conclusion that these crises are deliberately created by politicians (by borroing in ways that will increase taxation, unemployment etc.) to reduce the fertility rate somewhere. And I also observe, that it is only Israel that they allow to both have a high yearly economic growth, and a fertility rate higher than 2.1. And that does not seem very fair to me, does it. So economic growth is 100.00% pre-determined in my opinion. I am greek by the way in case anyone is currious. 😁

[@adrianzanoli]

"Why Balkans are poor" Guy from the balkans: in 1453...

[@SzotyMAG]

it runs in the family

[@Edgeflayer]

I'd blame it more on communism. There was an upward trend after gaining independence from the Ottomans, but the sudden shift to forced nationalization, all the things looted by invading Soviets and the extremely corrupt and hypocritical puppet governments set a very nasty tendency for things to go downhill. And then there's the fact that in some countries the regime fell peacefully and without punishment for the communist dictators, with some of the now Democratic governments comprising partially of people who upheld the tyranny before. Thus the culture of a corrupt elite lording over the people continues to this day.

[@randirbox]

@@Edgeflayer you missed a part of story with WWII. It was a lot of very bad meat grinding happening there.

[@ivanivanovic5586]

​@@EdgeflayerIirc, only Romania didn't have peaceful transition(the causescus were shot), while others either died (like tito and hoxha) earlier or were quietly removed from power(zivkov).

[@ivanivanovic5586]

​@@randirboxMountains of it, unfortunately.

[@TomislavPuklin-x5m]

"There are no poor countries. Only poor people. Countries are rich." - Michael Parenti

[@goshu7009]

There are no poor country, there are robbed, looted and destroyed counries, last 100 yeara by UK and USA mostly.

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

There are poor countries Jnforrunately Come to balkans

[@goshu7009]

@@ΙωάννηςΕλ Again, there are poor people, but the countries are RICH. Just politicians steal too much.

[@Megistius]

The balkans may be "poor" from a monetary perspective, but they are rich on life. People there just know how to have a good time regardless.

[@LetsPayOFFAmericasDebt]

Yeah, and never have money to travel outside the Balkans for a little enlightenment.

[@adnandzindosoda]

We are below average. I visited 4 continents and 32 countries. Balkan is average or below. In the rest of the world people also know how to have fun

[@biankak4994]

​@@adnandzindosoda...stupid comment!

[@masterlightjames950]

​@@adnandzindosodainferiority complex

[@casualcookin3893]

@@masterlightjames950 True i was born in Bulgaria and have visited 11 countries, lived in some of them, a balkan person saying "we may be broke, but at least we know how to live" is coping, in fact people from the balkans suck at both

[@void_fruit212]

When they say let's go band for band in the Balkans they actually mean rubber bands bought at the 2 cent store and lasts 2 and a half hours.

[@someguy2744]

Ah yes, the classic game of "Krvavih Novčića" (Bloody Coins).

[@chris200830]

Regarding Ceausescu's projects. I agree that the House of Parliament is a gigantic waste of money with very little benefits , but the Black Sea-Danube channel is actually useful and has strategic advantages. Allow me to list a few: 1. Creating a secondary access channel to the Black Sea. This has both a strategic and economic benefits. First, Constanta is Romania's largest port and any goods that arrived there, would've had to be transported via trucks across the country. The only way to sail inwards would've been via the Chilia channel, which was adjacent to the USSR. Using the Chilia channel imposed taxes on Romanian commercial ships and, in case of a war, would've blocked the trading route completely. 2. Irrigation. The water flowing through the channel is used to irrigate nearby crops and is also used to cool down the nuclear reactor at Cernavoda, which is responsible for 20% of the country's electricity production. Overall, it's pretty useful. It might've cost a lot to build but, now that we have it, we can profit from it.

[@davidstrelec2000]

Under Ceausescu Romania’s real term GDP increased 3.5x. Since 1989, Romania’s real term GDP is just 70% higher nowadays.

[@carcotasu081]

@@davidstrelec2000 Uh, what the fuck are you on about? Romania's GDP back then was around 41 billion. Now, it's over 300 billion. How is that 70% growth??

[@konstantinkelekhsaev302]

@@carcotasu081 Ever heard of hyper-inflation and currency devaluation ?

[@GT86_S5MK]

Actually this '41 billion' takes inflation into account, if it wasn't taken then the gdp would have been way lower, you have no clue what you're talking about sir.​@konstantinkelekhsaev302

[@carcotasu081]

@@konstantinkelekhsaev302 Uh, yeah, do you? Both of those issues happened in the 90's, which led to economic/GDP collapse. But it doesn't invalidate my post at all.

[@taboulefattouch4744]

The Balkans are poor compared to the handful of truly wealthy countries in Western Europe (Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco). If I had a choice of living on an income of 3,000 Euros in Paris/Hamburg/Amsterdam/Brussels (team A) or on 2,000 Euros in Belgrade/Zagreb/Budapest/Sofia (team B) I would opt for team B with no hesitation whatsover.

[@Pavlos_Charalambous]

With 1500€ in Athens you can have a pretty decent living in a very lay down " relax" manner

[@Akitlosz]

Wages are not 75% of Western wages, but 25-33%. Cheap living is not good from even cheaper wages.

[@mrsneakyburt]

I mean, sounds great until you wake up one morning to head to work and some cigani has decided he needs the wheels on your car more than you do.

[@krsmanjovanovic8607]

Bro no one in balkans earns 2000€, most of us here live on 400-600€ and outside of big cities jobs are so hard to find because most places are filled with either some 60+ yr old boomers who worke there since highschool or kids of boss's friends, also good luck working as a bartender or waiter anywhere if you are not 10/10 supermodel or a woman, there are almost no oportunities for honest living so a lot of people especialy those who couldnt finish college or find job after it have to be "crafty" which basicaly means stealing wood or cooper, selling second hand goods like carts and nike shoes you aquired for cheep god knows where and working for chinese ba#tards who dump waste into our rivers

[@itsYakuza]

2000 € / month is much higher than what the average person earns in the cities you mentioned. Even highly sought after tech jobs pay 1000-1500 depending on seniority usually. 2000 puts you in the top 10% in Zagreb, probably in Belgrade too. The prices of everything are the same or higher in Croatia compared to W Europe other than rent (like 30% lower) and services (like barbers, dry cleaners, etc.) even though that is is increasing rapidly too.

[@jkpet]

Thanks!

[@LivingIronicallyinEurope]

Thank you!

[@TWood900]

A thief asking a beggar why is he so poor. That's the whole analogy. They had no colonies, they didn't enslave anyone, rob anyone, etc.

[@LukasHylsky]

There are rich countries which were never colonist or slavers.. so calm down, beggar 😁

[@kaminsod4077]

Sounds like coping to me.

[@longjohnny009]

Greek Orthodox had Wallachia , Moldova 25 / 30 % of lands . Turkey appointed Greek rulers in there for 200 years . They stolen for themselves then for Turkish.

[@thisisobviouslynotmyrealname]

Nice try, but Iceland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, to name a few, also had no colonies, they didn't enslave anyone, rob anyone, etc, and are rich countries

[@VelikaBulgaria2]

@@thisisobviouslynotmyrealname They're benefiting from trade with countries that did all those things.

[@karenriscos9390]

My ADHD mind loves the way you present history in your videos; quick, colorful and funny. I've learned more Eastern European history from this channel than I ever did in school. Thanks @LivingIronicallyinEurope, Keep em' coming!

[@KartingRules]

True!

[@Mortablunt]

I don’t know if the word Serbia even showed up once in my entire high school curriculum. I know we don’t talk about Russia quickly two different times and I think that’s all we got about Eastern Europe.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

@@Mortablunt but you have learned color of George Washington's pants?

[@voskreglavincevska7080]

Because of a thieving mentality . All is about Alexander the Macedonian and the reason that he went concouring the known and unknown World . And the collapse of Macedonia after ! So , Balkan become peninsula of thieves ! Everybody wanted the peace of Macedonia ! Even today !so Alexander the Macedonia must have broth great treasure😅 !

[@madcat789]

1. The Ottomans. 2. The Communists. 3. Mountains. 4. Stephen the Goat whisperer.

[@Illyrian-warrior27]

War is only one reason.

[@madcat789]

@@Illyrian-warrior27 Saracens and Communists are the other two. Also Stephen the Goat Whisperer.

[@dzonikg]

Unlimited wars,just see how many was in Serbia in 20 century .First Balkan war,Second Balkan war ,WWI,WWII,war in 90s,NATO bombings

[@krwnik8419]

​@@dzonikg You are a Titoist?

[@dzonikg]

@@krwnik8419 I am not fan off dictatoships(even Tito was not maybe real dictator),i am actually fan off Yugoslavia in 80s after Tito death,its just there was no nationalism to spoil everything

[@miroslav645]

We are quite poor, we have only 1-2 own houses and 1-2 own apartments. 😢

[@Firecloud500]

Babe wake up! New Living Ironically in Europe vid just dropped!

[@marvintheparanoidandroid42]

It's ironic when you think how the Balkans were actually the wealthiest region of the Ottoman Empire comparing to others like Anatolia

[@peterdenov4898]

It isn't, it just speaks volumes how much piece of [crap] the O.E was.

[@zegerman360]

​@@peterdenov4898then I just wonder why it took more then 600 yrs to destroy them when they were so shitty

[@zegerman360]

@Yamasada03 partially true for the 100 yrs of the ottomans.But all the yrs before the ottomans were a powerful force

[@darioconka9643]

​@@zegerman360 and that is an answer for why o.e. was poor- the war and army are expensive

[@peterdenov4898]

@@zegerman360 because the United Kingdom and France did their best to maintain the empire on artificial life support for at least 200y.

[@health019]

Here in Bulgaria, instead of a car loop at school we have Calvary loops where you can park your steed and go pick up your child from the pit of mud with the name of school

[@plamenpetrov2014]

Can't agree enough, I am powering my 1995' computer with a car battery from the scrapyard, where I work for an African lord

[@berizdrav942]

Last I checked Germans, Austrians, Brits and French are in rent massivly, while Balkans have their own house, growing their own food and works for higher salaries than Anglo Saxons.

[@Chad-Tyrone-Pookey]

Check again.

[@masterlightjames950]

​@Chad-Tyrone-Pookey take your own advice. Start with your stupidity levels

[@mothidentifier]

Yep, in London 1 litre of sunflower oil is £2.60. Daylight robbery. On top of food prices, council tax, mortgage payments... People in the West are slaves​@@Chad-Tyrone-Pookey

[@alexg9696]

Exactly on point...our salaries may not be as high as the west but everyone has own property or house in the land with garden....with babushka and animals!

[@dragonmartijn]

Yes but they only consider the GDP to decide who is rich or poor. One super rich company can change a lot.

[@forwhomthebelltolls]

We're not poor, we're chronically cash challenged.

[@Lamiapersonapreferita]

We are I'm half albanian and half russian we are

[@samkitty5894]

Exactly. Also, why is the wealth always measured in money?

[@davidmajer3652]

That was both entertaining and informative. It was jammed full of facts but still entertaining. I really like that you ended on a positive note.

[@ivanivanovic5586]

He did it the slav way.

[@ParanoidAsteroid3]

The Balkans is genuinely my favorite region in all of Europe, and I've traveled throughout all regions on the continent besides the Nordic countries. I genuinely believe that Balkan people are the friendliest in Europe, and the cities felt a lot safer than quite a few in western Europe. And the food is incredibly underrated; I had the best tomatoes and bread in my life in North Macedonia, and burek is something I'd be tempted to eat daily if I had easy access to it. Not to mention that there is gorgeous mountain scenery in every Balkan country that rivals the Alps of Western Europe. I can't wait to return someday, and I hope that conditions will continue to improve so that the region may enjoy the same prosperity that much of the rest of the continent has enjoyed for centuries now.

[@aknezevic997]

It's beautiful to read something like this! Thanks!

[@lsadin2457]

SLAVA BALKANIJA!

[@beratmaliqi5445]

@@lsadin2457 dont forget the Albanian and Greek ….. we are NOT slavics 🇽🇰🇦🇱🇬🇷

[@lsadin2457]

@@beratmaliqi5445 SUBHANAALLAH BALKANIJA!

[@Tiranawest]

@beratmaliqi5445 dna results proved at least half albania has same dna as slavic. Plus same faith same traditions and culture. So stop spreading false info

[@TIOLIOfficial]

1:02 - Bro, the Stronghold Crusader menu music when you said "Let's go back to the middle ages" is such a good throwback. I love that game.

[@cosmindvd]

If western Europe is so wealthy, whjy Croatia richer than Portugal? than a former empire :))

[@TheBarser]

Portugal is a wannabee Balkan nation. Whenever you look at statestics they fit into Balkan, its kinda funny

[@TheBarser]

@@magdalenabuljan7219 agreed, Croatia seems like a nice place

[@plamenpetrov2014]

Because some nations are better than others and the ignorance towards Balkan nations is insane

[@Mpl3564]

Nope. GDP per head in Croatia is 76 % of the EU average, in Portugal 83 % (Eurostat, 2023). There are several countries between Portugal and Croatia, btw. The only "Balkanic" nation that is above Portugal is Slovenia, which is more central European than Balkanic. Having said that, I must note that the Portuguese dictatorship kept education standards rather low, unlike communist dictatorships. This heritage is still evident among older generations and has a far more relevant impact on long-term development than empires.

[@kevhynaleks2631]

@@Mpl3564 I think the scale of difference so low, hard to say one or another country between 5000$ difference are richer or poorer. Poland, Portugal, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia are same. Czechia, Slovenia, Spain a little bit better than them, but almost also same. The real difference between Austria, Sweden, Netherland - and us.

[@costinhalaicu2746]

You're right on most counts, aside one. We're not worse off than Latin America anymore, nor compared to most of Asia, leaving aside some exceptions, such as Singapore, South Korea, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. At least the EU Balkan countries actually are nowadays as per world standard on a spectrum from decent (Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia) to well off (Slovenia). Plus, there's also the matter of Russian and Austro-Hungarian imperialism, which also played a big part in keeping the Balkans down, which you didn't touch upon.

[@kristalperla2239]

Romania is not balkan country

[@spineshivers]

Poor is a relative term. Maybe by EU standards. I wonder what Somalia has to say about it. It can be much, much worse. With a Romanian salary I've lived like a king in south east Asia for two months.

[@danielryan6604]

He adresses that in the video this is mainly to show why the balkans are poorer than the EU

[@dzonikg]

Beeinng poor in Serbia means you drive used BMW imported from Germany

[@JmKrokY]

​@@danielryan6604Ok? Just goes to show how colonisation and exploitation of others does wonders for one's own economy.

[@djprojectus]

Ce tari in mod specific?Tailanda,Vietnam,Filipine?

[@fabmukaj1615]

The Balkan country’s are not poor, everyone has got their own home, work..etc, while in the west you have to work all life just to be able to afford a home.

[@friskifalcone6530]

👆correct

[@butros5137]

Yes if only the western people knew how good the Balkan people live they would be envious.

[@mariangrimsdell1112]

@@butros5137 be quiet and smart and keep that to yourself 😂, do you want Be invaded by millions of drunk British tourists with Big Beer Bellies looking for your beer.

[@BoarReese]

istina

[@kxno8302]

Apartments*

[@Нищ-т2ы]

Great retelling of our dramatic history, brother! Balkans were, are and will be an "interesting place to live". In the end it is worth it.

[@tkzsfen]

To get a better idea of what "mismanagement" means regarding the communist regimes at that time - Bulgaria had three secret bankrupts under Todor Jivkov. The first two times the USSR covered the costs. The third time was the last, because the Russian went out of cash too.

[@goshu7009]

Its typical for socialists, before they went to rule, they were in prison. Most of the comunists were ex-prisoners - killers, rapists, robbery and so on..... And they were working for even bigger mass criminals, off-shore.

[@commonsense14]

Love from Greece 🇬🇷♥️

[@rekamud6635]

u are turk and ur grandma is spanish gonzalia

[@Char1es_]

​@@rekamud6635WHAT EUDIWNDJWNDKSN

[@Xristos888]

​@@rekamud6635 do a dna test and you will change ur mind😂

[@VergiliosSpatulas]

@@rekamud6635 Okay cockroach

[@geometrikselfelsefesi]

I am the 4th narrative.

[@DavidS.8347]

11:02 We are so popular, the English dictionary designed a word based on our daily activities

[@Qowkdjxjqoo]

Every time i watch this channel, i am much more confident that the balkans is just european version of South America, and vice versa. It s ridiculously similar. If i describe where i live, could prety much be mistake as an average serbian city LMAO. Even the people are quite similar (im sure that i saw a guy exaclty how the man of this channel last week). Here are other similarities: -Trash on the streets (not really much altought, just some minor cigarretes and papers) -Relatively safe, but not compared to other regions ( not all of south america and the balkans, of course) - Both are kinda the "crazy people and alcoholic hub" of theirs continents -Delicious street food -Racist old people, and some crazy young guys in the internet. (unfortunely) - Historical crimes of war (despite some are quite old, especialy south america) -They are not exaclty poor (there is no starvation and i dont have nothing to complaing), but are not wealthy in comparison with other countries (there are better and worst places in the world) Conclusion:2 regions obscured in relation to their much more wealthier neighbours (USA and western europe).

[@meimeiprezimei]

From what I saw some parts of US look like actual landfills, even some parts of some of the biggest cities. Also, US is 131st on Global Peace Index list. Way lower than all of the balkan countires and some of South American countries.

[@pablo4yu]

Me in juarez mexico💀😭

[@twelvetoes-e9n]

So true, you could probably say the same about the Caribbean and North America

[@Pavlos_Charalambous]

When Greece was threaten to been thrown out of EU their was a series of memes in Greece depicting a cartoon like Greek map moving to Latin America or asking " can I join you guys?" 😄 All jokes aside the not exactly wealthy not exactly poor - you can live a comfy life but not become rich part The historical burden part Delicious street food and crazy boomers are especially true for Greece

[@josechocoza8808]

I'm mexican and at one point of my life I got very interested towards balkan history later on I discovered that my fascination may come by thia very same reason. So I'm glad you noticed too!

[@danielgalil5020]

As a comedic writer, I can say that the joke about roads and breast cancer patients is Grade A dark comedy. In all seriousness the part about the industrial revolution being caused by the need to process raw materials more efficently was really enlightening.

[@thebandofbastards4934]

There are many factors that led to the industrial revolution not just one, as the Spain also had an abundance of raw materials during their golden age but had no industrial revolution.

[@IkeSan]

I would still prefer living in the poorest zone of Europe than Central America

[@cadehoff8702]

lol no you wouldn't

[@IkeSan]

@@cadehoff8702 Yes I would.

[@cadehoff8702]

@@IkeSan you'd rather live in rural Russia than Panama City? interesting

[@bookofdan7916]

@@cadehoff8702 hell yeah any time!

[@Mpl3564]

Costa Rica is nice to live, I suppose.

[@eng.miroslavmanahilov1944]

Showing Boyko Borisov and than talking about anti-corruption is wild!

[@GoldTegu]

As a southamerican, I appreciate Balkan people for not pillaging our ancestor's riches

[@nel5518]

I think the problem was that we were too poor to do anything haha

[@kavky]

​@@nel5518 Everyone was poor, that's why we were fighting each other for resources.

[@ivanivanovic5586]

If any of then-balkan states could reach south america (and with good ships and skilled crew), it would've been the ragusan republic(Ragusa was latin name for Dubrovnik). And luckily, they were more of the merchant sort rather than plunderers.

[@Ognyann]

Not gonna lie, if we could have, we would have. It's just, as the femboy said, we were too busy being colonised by the Ottomans ourselves.

[@ivanvidojevic2461]

We would if we could

[@Life22magic]

We are not poor, we have so much to be grateful for.

[@aleksvitanov4854]

The fact that you use stronghold crusader references and music fulfills my hard. My dad used to play this game so much when I was young and I used to watch him and with time I did as well. Still enjoying it to this day, but never seen someone that has played it or knows about it.

[@ivanivanovic5586]

A cousin played it too(with the usual "spam farms, find mercs, hire horse archers and assassins, win" tactic).

[@themicrobrandexpert]

Love the Stronghold Crusader!

[@Hajde_budalla]

Fulfills your hard what?

[@Nevio857]

Why so poor? 1. Ottoman Empire, 2. Wars wars wars, 3. Arguing with each other instead of helping each other develop. Balkan people (yes, including Greeks and big parts of Turkey culturally and socially) are very hardworking people who can take a lot of toxicity before they give up. Nowadays Greece, Bulgaria and Romania are cooperating perfectly with each other while also investing in the rest of the Balkans. Greece had issues with Bulgaria but now that both our countries are more developed and people are educated, we are huge allies!

[@inasvids4747]

Honestly all jokes aside. We in bosnia still do better than the majority of third world nations in the world, even the poorest people have large houses because of their ancestors, cities like sarajevo are modern and beautiful and even my small town has glass buildings, fast wifi, happy people in the streets, we do a lot better, honestly we would thrive a lot better if the different ethnicities just cooperated with each other instead of arguing and fightinga war(s?) with. We would have the same level of brotherhood and unity as in the golden yugo days, with a far better ideology and possibly even eu support. However, the future lies in the hands of the youth, who give up more and more on bosnia, and prefer starting to live and study abroad, i plan on moving back and working for a foreign company one day, if god allows it.

[@inasvids4747]

@@Brandon78579 pametno bogami, puno sreće!

[@LinkiMimi1915]

Ako Bog da, da se svi vratimo u nasu Bosnu.

[@sate4125]

Little correction: witches were not burned in the middle ages but in the renaissance era. Common myth.

[@Real_MrDev]

1 word: corruption

[@Mrlighthouse1000]

uggg you have the same level of political analysis as a 5 year old, corruption is always a symptom of high gov budgets

[@Real_MrDev]

@@Mrlighthouse1000 Ugggh, I too resort to insults when I don't understand a joke.

[@dtibvgz8441]

As a government inspector I would proudly state that there is no corruption at all. *Puts some folded banknotes in the back pocket

[@htoaletaarxidatet]

bro wanted to say something instead of having something to say @@Mrlighthouse1000

[@JmKrokY]

Corruption is present in every country and every institution worldwide.

[@Pyreing]

0:40 Dude that map can trigger like 15 different wars holy shit!

[@skoy21]

So true!

[@Based_n_Boredpilled]

Anyone asks anything about the Old World. Someone answers: "Well back in the Permian Era....."

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

Better than obsession with Civil war or 9/11.

[@krumcvetkov]

bulgaria mentioned 🗣🗣

[@thelonelyowl2654]

ебаве то татарите

[@IWillSexU]

Me as Greek: "Ah, another video that mentions Greece, nothing new"

[@cezartoma5620]

A very nice video, we would like to see more like this. As a Romanian, I would like to see a video of the Romanian anticommunists resistance or about the romanians "haiduci". Anyway, thank you for all the videos about the Romania and the Balkans in general. You are the one that promotes us in other countries. Thank you!

[@ivanivanovic5586]

Iirc, croatians and serbs also had "hajduci" (tho they served more as raiders rather than resistance fighters). That said, if both could be covered at same time and compare the two, I'd love to see it.

[@atticlight9048]

Thanks

[@LivingIronicallyinEurope]

Thank you!

[@barney2159]

8:55 I just came home riding the same type of bus an hour before watching this video, this should say more than enough about the state of the Balkans right now lol

[@euphorbia1581]

I actually love these old trams and buses. They're charming. Until you need a bus ride during winter 😅

[@AntonioDal.]

Germany: - destroyed during ww1, rebuild, destroyed ww2, rebuild and becomes economical powerhouse again - internal locus of control culture: belief that one's own actions, decisions, and efforts primarily determine the outcomes of one's life Balkans: - elect corrupt leaders - not so ideal work culture (why work when we all die anyway) - external locus of control culture: belief that external factors, such as luck or Turkish rule from more than a century ago primarily determine the outcomes of one's life

[@carlosvictor8940]

The same thing happens in Brazil, the population blames Portuguese colonization or the USA. Out of 5698 municipalities, only 5 have a sewage and basic sanitation system for 100% of the population.

[@ioannissitaras2202]

Dude the idea that balkan people are lazy it's laughable. You have no idea of how many hours in average balkan people work. I Ve lived in Scotland for four years and I work a typical 40 hours per week and earned more than triple the amount of money I earned in Greece working 55 hours per week. While the cost of living was way lower.

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

At least Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians, didn't pillage any country and didn't invade of any country. We have made mistakes but we harmed ourselves, not the others. And those silly comments about the lazy balkans, should stop because it starts getting embarrassing. Educate yourselves up there and get some humanity.

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

You work 35 hours per week in perfect conditions and you think you do something. Come to Greece to work 55 hours per week with 4 months summer and earn a half of your salary, and tell me who's the lazy.

[@ioannissitaras2202]

Oh the ignorance! Mate Europe got you funds in both world wars after cause they did not have anything left ( except everything they stole from all over Europe, anything from artifacts, sculptures and gold silver etc) so don't get all high and mighty about it ok?

[@cosmindvd]

Compared to Western Europe, compared to the rest of the World, Balkans are quite rich, free, safe, developed, especially Croatia, Romania, Greece. Slovenia is basically western.

[@Discontinuedchannel1230]

They’re defiantly more developed than most balkans nations but compared to most western nations they’re on the lower income side

[@Tanaka1943]

​​@@Discontinuedchannel1230lower income doesnt mean lower quality of life. West is falling anyways, the east will rise

[@boopdedoop3764]

That's true which goes to show you just how much worse it can get lol.

[@naoufalhitmi]

Nah

[@cosmindvd]

@@naoufalhitmi Other than Canada, US few arab countries and Japan, S. Korea and city states like Hong Kong and Singapore, which are richer than balkans?

[@yasho8927]

I don’t think we are poor. Maybe not rich-rich but definitely not poor. For instance there are no homeless people here in Bulgaria. Everyone has an apartament or a house, and the prices for groceries and consumer goods are shockingly low and match the wages nicely.

[@milosjovicevic6083]

My Bulgarians bro. This man is hater. He hates Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia etc. He is from Hungary lol. The boy is clown. We are far away from poor 🙄

[@zenmasters_games]

I have to push back on the current situation though. The EU is sucking the able population from the Balkan countries that have joined it, and since not so long ago, from other non-EU Balkan countries as well, leaving only non-sovereign husks of former countries behind - basically provinces that have nothing to say about anything. If you think that is a good trend, then I have a news flash for you. It is very, very bad.

[@felipecastanha9161]

Hey lads, found the serb

[@toxihex876]

I know more than enough people from Western European countries who wanna go somewhere else and quite a few Balkan people who have considered other options and don't see a point in leaving here, all of which way more than "able". There's a global demographic crisis that stands between the EU and any plans they may have for anything and it's not going anywhere. It would take serious alchemy and necromancy for anyone to unfuck our world as a whole so it's safe to say the EU cannot do it. They can't possibly siphon enough citizens to fix their demographic anything because there isn't anything significant they're capable of offering that would clean out the competent population from anywhere. You will see an uptick of people leaving but nothing decisive. Plus, it's not just the quality folk who leave.

[@zenmasters_games]

@@felipecastanha9161 you ignorant simpleton lol

[@AustinSanders-f2e]

​@@felipecastanha9161found the amerifat gunt slurper

[@Poctyk]

Iron curtain 2 it is.

[@perunov_unuk]

Why? Because we have friends like England, Germany, France, US, Vatican...

[@quercusroburx]

At least the food is good, UK conquered the half world for spices, and still not able to use them

[@shaolinfist8323]

Ever tried a chicken tikka massala? English food is underrated

[@quercusroburx]

@@shaolinfist8323 ok hybrid indian-english food is good but not because the english part :D

[@shaolinfist8323]

You should try an English roast dinner or cooked breakfast. Cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings, black pudding, all amazing English dishes. Its a misconception that English food is bad just because most English these days eat shit

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

😂😂😂😂 I liked that ! So true!

[@masterlightjames950]

​@@shaolinfist8323English have no food. Just potatoes

[@TF2BuffMedic]

0:41 bro gonna get cancelled Harder than pdf file youtubers

[@DimitrisRem]

Ong

[@Akitlosz]

There is little gold and oil and neither country had a colonial empire.The Ottoman wars hindered the development of all Balkan countries for centuries.

[@nerdtopiaball5255]

the balkan has currently a stable foundation like never before, we just have to keep it secu- ( war in ukraine, economys comming down crashing all around).... WHAT DID I JUST SAY

[@Ionel-pm7jy]

My friend!Romania isn't poor at all. I lived for the last 30 years in the USA ,and I moved to Romania. I did pretty well in America.The average Romanians live better than average Americans for sure. No homeless people, and the crime very low.

[@tihomirtodorov7201]

Great video!

[@ХизирБарахоев-в1м]

I think we have two reasons of this problem: Russia (especially comunist era) Turkey (ottoman) You can clearly see that those slavic nations that were under occupation of Austria and Germany are far more reach then their brother who were under influence of Ottoman and Russia.

[@kostadingramatikov9692]

8:40 Bro this is a lie. I've lived in bulgaria my whole life, and i don't know a single person that will say that the products nowadays are better than the products back in bai Tosho's times. Even the anti comunist people would agree that what we eat now is garbage compared to the food back then.

[@Fastwalk-rm7xv]

This video dosent represent real life, its just a meme dude talking about balkans

[@kostadingramatikov9692]

@@Fastwalk-rm7xv are you American? What is this ignorance? Balkan people are people, with history and life, for us its real life. Like wtf, what do you mean with your comment?

[@tomgu2285]

​@@kostadingramatikov9692 stay mad snowflake

[@andreifilip6364]

I really hate it when people only look at gdp and exports to gauge an economy as if a country's real goal isn't to have fed and housed citizens, not just 0.1% of the population living lavishly while the other 99.9% die of hunger on the street like say, in the richest country on Earth in all of history

[@kostadingramatikov9692]

@@andreifilip6364 i mean one comes at the cost of the other, but yeah many people prefer not having so much freedom but having good food and being housed.

[@LordMiles]

I think its because they're Balkans

[@LivingIronicallyinEurope]

Not wrong

[@YamadaSena]

Answer is simple. We Balkans we are poor because we didn't have colonies, we didn't stealing from other poor nations all ower the world.

[@PlayerBRUV]

because you lot were too busy fighting each other

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

​@PlayerBRUV because we didn't cause wars to Europe and we didn't steal others....

[@YamadaSena]

@@ΙωάννηςΕλ Yes I agree

[@PlayerBRUV]

@@ΙωάννηςΕλ the Balkans literally started WW1

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

​@PlayerBRUV world wars began by germans

[@LisanAlChudDib]

3:22 Spain was broke until the 1960s lol. Also, the "trolling" part of Spain to the Americas is not so clear nowadays. Studies have shown that it was not *that* much trolling, just the amount of trolling that is to conquer new lands. Edit: Spanish Black Legend is the name of that. Britain and other powers used propaganda to undermine the Spanish Empire, hence it is very likely that our vision of Spani's past is warped to make it look awful while it wasn't that much. For example, Ciudad de Mexico in the 1800s could be compared to Paris and London.

[@hansmohammed5486]

Least stupid virgadafraude fan

[@thebigflop3118]

mexicans didnt spawn outta nowhere lil bro don’t try to lie 😹 😹

[@gaemr_o5147]

Aztecs, Mayans, Incas, etc. got holocausted. It was definitely awful

[@kavky]

​@@gaemr_o5147 Not really. Most of them died from disease that the Spanish didn't know were carrying because the Spanish were immune. The rest kind of intermarried with colonists. The Aztecs were killed mostly by the other tribes that allied with the conquistadors.

[@plamenpetrov2014]

Thank you for pointing that out. I strongly believe that Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia will continue growing richer for a long long time.

[@marsalteam]

I still love how you use stronghold crusader sfx and music

[@theeliblog4559]

Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East are all regions plagued with such insecurity yet a lot of culture and beauty. It’s truly a shame.

[@ΙωάννηςΕλ]

We don't care we are poor. Eastern Europe is poor and we are very ok with that. Keep your money we don't care 😛

[@Kier_1]

0:15 using 2015 data in 2024 kinda bad tho.

[@SzotyMAG]

Still relevant.

[@bojanmilivojevic4736]

Nicely explained video, but Americans, know that no one has fun like Serbs, no one lives to the fullest like Serbs. Maybe Western Europe is more modern and orderly, but it's just cold materialism and depression, come to the Balkans to see what spirituality and Orthodoxy is all about culture, delicious food, mentality of relaxed and witty people.

[@kdexter2690]

The majority of Christians in the world are Catholic Christians

[@contrerwoo]

The backwards ottomans basically set the entire region 200 years back. Without them we developed pretty well, there's simply a lot of catching up to do.

[@orfatron]

Dont be fooled .... i have family in europe . They dont watch TV, they dont care about material things. Theres always out walking ,talking with tourists , family, freinds , community. THERE RICH !. They have food , clothes and warm bed at night . They have no stress and there never on there stupid phones scrolling social media . When i visit we talk the night away over a coffee or a drink and awlays find myself laughing and socialising the night away. Good times !

[@milosjovicevic6083]

🙄 That is rare. West is so bad and evil depresive place.

[@damascusshark]

In Hungary's case it probably has something to do with all the stadiums our Prime Minister builds for several billion Euros, all taken out of public funding

[@mrsneakyburt]

You should take a page out of our book, here in Bulgaria we build hotels with EU farming money, works great.

[@BuckNut-ck1sl]

Are you sure your minister is not Vucic?

[@plamenpetrov2014]

​@@mrsneakyburt Any particular case? Any undeniable proof?

[@mrsneakyburt]

@@plamenpetrov2014 You can google around a bit and find some info , but mostly I've got the info from one of my mothers friends who's a politician, basically when we where traveling by the Black Sea coast we constantly ran into abandoned unfinished hotels, which he explained where mostly built by money not meant for it, ofc not all of them where built by EU money but sadly corrupt politicians and the mafia have many ways to make money from the EU not reach its intended group, they try to fund hotels with "donated" money and then they take the profit from the hotels themselves.

[@burhanbudak6041]

Even during the Ottoman era, the Balkans was the richest province compared to the east and south. European imperialism fucked it up.

[@Ελλάδα-ω3θ]

it is true that europe destructed balkans European countries hate balkans and they underestimate them daily. Love Greece, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and rest!! Better poor and good hearted rather than rich and robbers.

[@-.-..._...-.-]

No it wasnt, the literacy rate during the Ottoman period was less than 1%. The Balkans became a borderline retarded area with an Islamic caste system.

[@radomirpetrovic2457]

Balkan countries aren't poor.. plenty of food,energent,we have enough for us all.. we have summer,autumn, spring and winter, climate perfect..difference between Balkans and western European countries, well we didn't still from rest of the world,and we didn't had slaves.

[@vladavasiljev]

I live in Belgrade. My sister lives in Milan. Many friends I have around the west, and many foreign friends too. Literally everyone says that life here is better than in the west. Life is not all about the money.

[@milosjovicevic6083]

Ovaj lik je neki nesrećnik Madjar kompleksas visok 166 cm koji ne moze naci devojku pa pljuje po Srbiji i Balkanu 😆 Pacijent težak

[@soupisgood44]

The Balkan's history with the Ottoman Empire is always a fun topic, but given the time of it's collapse, I don't see how it has anything to with the modern economy of today. The culture, absolutely. Now, it's more recent Communist past, that certainly makes more sense and obviously is the clear contributer to it's economic state today (like the rest of Eastern Europe)

[@DamnTheBeavers]

it's like a domino.. ottomans-2 world wars-communism-post communism corruption..we didn't have time to breathe for almost half a millenia

[@anitaklein2630]

being prevented from building schools ( most people were illiterate until 1900s), not experiencing the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, children kidnapped and billions in tribute has nothing to do with it?every leader that came that wanted to do something was decapited has nothing to with it? hmmm

[@Azobichamkartofilaaaaa]

Ruzzian influence. The poorest countries didn't have lustration

[@MiSt3300]

Please make a video: why is central Europe so successful and mention Poland and Czech republic

[@BuckNut-ck1sl]

No war, better management, western investments and a lack of komunjare in the government.

[@cybernetic_crocodile8462]

​@@BuckNut-ck1sl There absolutely is quite a lot of nepotism and cronyism in the public sector of Poland. Governments ever since entering the EU were bunches of lobotomized chimpanzees, who only made it harder for country to progress. Foreign investments helped at the begining, but they also put us in the middle income trap, as the supplier of cheap labor and low-tech components. Overall, I would say that the success of Poland comes mainly from hard work of millions of Poles and the slow rise of domestic capital. As inept as they were, Polish governments at least didn't stick their noses too much in market and barely ever made any grand moves, that would shook the economy up, so capital could grow in peace. And as brutal and devastating for our industrial capabilities the privatization in the 90s was, it at least prevented the rise of oligarchs and giant, crappy, state-owned concerns. And so, despite Western capital having Polish market in iron grip for now, in some areas it starts to slowly, but surely lose ground to Polish buisnesses. And domestic capital is usually much more valuable for country's economy than foreign one.

[@andreicristian3932]

I mean, both Poland and Czech republic are still far from successfull, I suppose, they're not that far off from Romania or Croatia to say ( but then again those are some happier stories of the balkans out of which neither of those 2 countries can be considered fully balkan either ) but they are definitely more organized with more foreign investments due to the location and historical matters

[@MiSt3300]

@@andreicristian3932 "not that successful"? Can you tell me what's your definition of success? Have you seen our GDP from the 90s? And we beat Romania in every metric. What a weird comment my dude. Poland and Czechia are some of the most successful post communist countries

[@andreicristian3932]

​@@MiSt3300 Cope The only sucessful eastern country is Slovenia

[@PhillKaggitz]

It appears that geography is the Balkans’ worst enemy.

[@plamenpetrov2014]

Nope, it's communism

[@smartfitness_tr]

By the way, where does this name Balkan come from? It sounds a little bit Turkish to me.

[@yasho8927]

The Balkan Mountin

[@VKGZ13]

I’m in Albania rn and I don’t see many poor people. Everyone here is dressed with designer clothing, driving German cars, and they don’t even work. They literally sit at coffee shops and smoke all day.

[@samkitty5894]

Taking over world's drug trade helped...don't you think?

[@salkoharper2908]

They have money from corruption and criminal enterprise then. In London, England where i live, Albania mafia has become one of the biggest drug gangs in the city. All they do is crime. Useless people, don't work hard or strive to be better. My mother is from Bosnia and I don't want anymore Albanians coming to London. They give Balkan people a bad reputation and English people think all Balkaners are criminals because of Albanians behaviour in England.

[@ΣωκράτηςΚωλέττης-κ9κ]

Those are the drug dealers mate,not the regular ppl😂😂

[@VKGZ13]

@ hard to believe that many people are drug dealers

[@petarpetrovic5857]

i live in montenegro and make 3.500€ a month netto and all the people around me make good money too, idk where this is coming from

[@dasaticar2194]

Oh come on look at avarage pay in montenegro and realize u apparently live in a bublle

[@petarpetrovic5857]

@@dasaticar2194 love my bubble 🤭

[@trance1986]

This is how it works you make 3500 and another 9 makes 500 each so on average you all make 800. You were the more fortune one ending up at the top ;p

[@petarpetrovic5857]

@ no it's because people here usually have multiple houses and multiple small income sources from the side which add up to a big amount of money, especially when you are not paying rent, montenegro is the country with the most tourists per capita in europe having 2 mil tourists a year with a population of 600.000 people, ask any montenegrin person if they have their own apartments which they rent out, wooden houses, selling homemade wine and rakija, all of them do it and make money from it, to say montenegro is poor is far from off, no homeless people, no crime and a relaxed way of living is definitely not poor, other countries are too uninformed or uneducated 💀

[@HelloOnepiece]

Now we need a video how HUngary, a country almost on par with western Europe just a few centuries before, is going to rank below in most of the balkans in the near future. (as things stand, only Bulgaria seems to be in a worse trajectory)

[@AmoreeaHrisant]

Hungary would normally not have big problems except for Orban. The defiant attitude towards the EU which aims precisely at the abolition of borders, he comes with claim maps. Gathering all the levers of power in his hands can only lead to dictatorship as he did, the ''teacher'' next to who is having fun.

[@dimdim2500]

Fun fact for you: my Bulgarian brother, working from Sofia office for a major world bank(top 3 in the world) just rejected higher (VP) position move to Budapest office, on grounds of lower salary.

[@HelloOnepiece]

@@dimdim2500 Do not worry, once we get more corrupt than Bulgaria, his salary will be higher in Hungary Jk. Still I doubt his offer was actually lower in Hungary, what I believe is that he calculated his purchasing power and came to the conclusion that hungary is bloody expensive, and not worth for a measly increase in net salary

[@HeavenTowerFL]

balkan is not poor. Balkan is just an old noncontinent and they have traditionalists clothes and that does NOT make it poor. There are also super cars in balkan i seen lamborghini ferraris porsche and any other cool cars in my country albania and the life is very beautiful in it. and it is the country WITH the most mercedes in the world.

[@kuau_Queen-kiki-4652]

The balkan is f**ked up, but its my f**ked up home

[@thekujo1984]

They are not so poor other are too rich 😂

[@3dfxvoodoocards6]

Eurostat - GDP per capita PPP 2023 EU average - 100 Romania - 78 Hungary - 76 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hungary is poorer than Romania.

[@kavky]

💪🇷🇴💪🇷🇴

[@plamenpetrov2014]

Romania is unstoppable and this video will not age well at all

[@kevhynaleks2631]

Nice dreams but not true. IMF GDP/capita on PPP (2024) : Hungary 45.600$. Romania: 43.200$. All of this on nominal: Hungary: 21.800 $ Romania: 18.700$ Romania is poorer than Hungary, as it was always and it will be always.

[@3dfxvoodoocards6]

@@kevhynaleks2631 Read the Eurostat statistics for 2023 Eurostat - GDP per capita PPP 2023 EU average - 100 Romania - 78 Hungary - 76 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also even last year the average minimum net salary for Romania was higher than that of Hungary.

[@xczv00]

@@kevhynaleks2631 it will not always be good luck :)

[@nemiloszorka1162]

Well, I would argue that Serbia at least was better of in Yugoslavia, than today. Few examples: 1) My parents were working in a bank, with only a high-school diploma, and during 1980's they made around 1.500 DM per month each. Corrected for inflation, that is equivalent to 1.500 € today. People working in banks today make 500-700 €, for the same position as my parents. 2) My grandparents were both teachers in a small village in Banat. They bought a house in the center of the village, demolished it, and built a new one. For this they took up credit at a bank and payed it off in 7 years. Ask any elementary school teacher today in Serbia if they can take a credit like that in the bank. They wouldn't be able to pay of their debt in 20 years, not 7 (my aunt is a teacher in that same village today). 3) Yugoslavia's debt is a bit of a overstated "argument". Before the breakup of Yugoslavia, national debt was around 20 billion USD. Corrected for inflation, that is around 50 billion today. Before the breakup, Yugoslavia had more than 23 million people. That's around 2.200 USD of debt per person. Today, Serbia alone is in debt 39 billion USD, and it has a population smaller than 7 million. That is around 5.650 USD of debt per person. So, we have 2,5 times more debt, but we are as half as productive as we were, so it will take us 5 time more work, or time, to repay our debt, than it would take us back in Yugoslavia. And don't get me started on Croatia's and Montenegro's national debts :) In conclusion: Yugoslavia's economy was far better organized, responsible and productive than in any of the successor states, excluding Slovenia. Slovenians continued to develop after the breakup of Yugoslavia. Good for them ;)

[@milosjovicevic6083]

Nikad gluplji komentar u životu nisam procitao😅 Prosečna plata u SFRj u 1986 je bila 316 nemačkih maraka. Moj otac zamenik direktora imao 600 maraka 1989. Sve to imaš na Guglu. U Beogradu više niko neće da radi u običnoj prodavnici ili trafici za 700 Evra. Kakva crna banka 700 Evra😂 Pa toliko čistačice zarađuju u Bg. Niko u bilo kojoj banci nema ispod 1000 Evra. Ti si bas promašila dimenziju. Danas se MNOGO BOLJE ŽIVI nego u Jugoslaviji. Mnogo bolji uslovi života i kvalitet života. Jedino što se tada dobijali besplatno stanovi. Pa je to bila iluzija

[@andreasschwarz4908]

Bonus points for including Stronghold Crusader and HOMM 3 footage.

[@SzotyMAG]

Balkaner core memory

[@albihysenaj5997]

Some of the countries in balkans are rich and not poor, Greece, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia are rich I’ve been their in those places and they are very nice and wealthy

[@ΣωκράτηςΚωλέττης-κ9κ]

Have you lived in Greece or you came just for holidays mate,bc I know very few ppl here that at the end of the month they have more than 50€ at the bank,do you really call that a "rich country"?😂😂

[@sylkiContent]

What is this song 0:31?

[@Hris.K]

Super ciganska-acalari bomba

[@ДаниилКриндж]

Dögös Robika: Casino

[@sylkiContent]

@@ДаниилКриндж thanks bro!

[@Skarlet_109]

9:36 that picture just violated Yugoslavia ☠️☠️☠️