The modern welfare state is a gigantic Ponzi scheme. To survive, it needs a constantly growing number of contributors, or at least a constant ratio of contributors to recipients. Its sprawling bureaucracy has contributed to the systematic fall in productivity rates in the economies that have expanded it. Too much capital is tied up in unproductive areas of the respective societies. Another symptom of its growth is the collapse of the family as the social pillar of society. It will a la long be the solution to the problem if societies are forced to scale back their welfare state activities for economic reasons. At the same time, massive poverty migration is weighing on the social systems of these strong countries. This migration is now acting as a fire accelerator and will dissolve the structures faster than the inherent process is able to achieve.
... But I dont see an answer. Welfare is a clever Social Democratic trap. It's unaffordable but cut back the welfare state and plunge people into poverty? No thanks for most people, and we already have record homelessness etc... Plus no one would get elected on that basis. So, like gov debt, the can will keep getting kicked down the road I guess... Europe (the continent) continues to stagnate...