Having one of the highest total tax rates in the world kind of suggests it is built-in in the system.

For sure. The trade-off used to be social welfare - but that is degrading fast. I have my own theories on those things though.

1,6 million final social security cases a year within a small population is quite astonishing

Absolutely! It is insanity. Yet, no one seems that concerned about it.

Also media scaring with war propaganda like no tomorrow, people likely do not have high hopes for the future tho have some growth.

You have a different relationship than I do with the history - but if Russia has been struggling with Ukraine for three years - are they really a credible threat? (nukes aside - as that is humanity over)