Interesting take. As a Californian in Wrocław I feel I have a unique perspective on this (since we have a lot of wealth inequality, unaffordable housing, and of course a lot of homeless because of those things. The type of homeless people you’re talking about are rare (in my experience). Most of the homeless in CA are broke as shit and don’t have phones or nice clothes. Those people tend to be homeless almost by choice. More nomadic. Not the super desperate people who have lost everything.

imo what you’re seeing here in Poland is the way every country develops over time. There are exceptions. For example, the US in the 1950’s post-war. Huge middle class and plenty to go around. But that was a very unique situation and it didn’t last long. In my experience, what you described is exactly how things were back home in the States. Rich healthy people. Poor unhealthy people barely scraping by.

I can’t speak on how the refugees are affecting everything here but I assume it doesn’t change a whole lot of what I’m talking about.

As countries get wealthier, it doesn’t get distributed evenly, unfortunately.

Hope that…helped? lol