But income inequality was worsening steadily in all member countries, with more highly educated citizens benefiting from the booming services industry, while the less educated suffered as manufacturing moved to cheaper locations. Then, the global financial crisis struck, income inequality rose sharply, and the post-Wall generation in southern Europe suffered the largest drop in living standards since WWII.
柏林墙后一代似乎获得了命运的垂青——至少是暂时性地。但收入不平等在所有成员国都在稳步恶化，教育层次高的公民受益于服务业繁荣，而教育层次低的公民遭难于制造业向低成本地区的转移。接着，全球金融危机爆发，收入不平等大幅上升，南欧的柏林墙后一代遭遇了二战后最严重的生活水平下降。