Spanish streamer insults PSOE voters, sparking housing cost debate
The Xokas' remarks on PSOE voters trigger a statistical comparison of 1975 wages and housing costs in Spain.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The Xokas insults PSOE voters, reigniting the 1975 housing affordability debate
Spain's most-watched streamer claims only "illiterates" vote for Pedro Sánchez, shifting the conversation to a statistical dispute: did life improve in 1975 despite lower incomes? The answer defies common sense.
The catalyst is a tweet antiestéticaturing the Galician creator's attack on the Prime Minister. Social media splits between those applauding the outburst and those noting his history of insulting half the country. However, the thread quickly evolves into a more compelling analysis: comparing average salaries from 1975 to today, adjusted for inflation.
The 1975 calculation that dismantles nostalgic narratives
A user shares journalist José María Sánchez Galera's tweets arguing Spaniards lived better fifty years ago. Key figures: per capita income was €15,000 in 1975 versus €31,000 today; average salary was 350,000 pesetas (€2,100) then versus €27,000 annually now; minimum wage was 120,000 pesetas (€720) versus €16,000 currently. With cumulative CPI rising 1,419% from 1975 to 2024, those 350,000 pesetas equate to €29,799 today, and the minimum wage to €10,217.
The conclusion challenges nostalgia: the adjusted average salary of 1975 was nearly identical to today's. The disparity lies in housing prices. With €15,000 per capita income, one could buy a 150-square-meter apartment in Plaza de Castilla; with €31,000 today, it barely covers a tiny studio. Milk cost 21 pesetas (€0.13) and newspapers 10 pesetas (€0.06).
Some correct the initial data: €15,000 annually equals €1,250 monthly, or 200,000 pesetas in 1975—a sum earned only by doctors, pharmacists, and engineers. Real per capita income then was around $3,000 annually, roughly €250 monthly. This discrepancy doesn't alter the core finding: purchasing power has remained stagnant for fifty years.
Why does housing break the 1975 vs. today comparison?
Because it consumes half of family income, and its price hasn't trinc the same curve as wages. The viral calculation shows that in 1975, a 150-square-meter house required three to seven years of average salary. Today, this ratio has multiplied without corresponding wage increases. Practically, the average Spaniard in 2024 earns a real salary similar to their grandparents', but competes for an asset whose price has completely decoupled.
The fiscal aspect is another key argument. In 1975, VAT didn't exist, income tax was much lower, utilities cost a fraction of current rates, and property tax wasn't applicable as such. Including these factors reveals effective purchasing power even lower than raw salary comparisons suggest. Official inflation data is also questioned for excluding housing, precisely where costs have risen most.
Quality of 1970s housing: the counterargument
Not everyone accepts the nostalgic view. Against the idea that life was better before, critics note that 1970s and 80s apartments had poor thermal insulation, asbestos cement, and paint that oxidized quickly. Price comparisons ignore that the product differs: today's insulation, energy efficiency, and durability are vastly superior. Yet, most Spaniards still live in those older buildings, not new developments.
Political backdrop: voter demographics and motivations
Beyond statistics, the thread explores electoral sociology. Some argue PSOE voters aren't unintelligent but respond to specific incentives: public employment, subsidies, pensions, and aid ecosystems making voting rational. Others attribute it to character or self-interest. A third, uncomfortable view suggests the issue isn't ignorance but intent: voting for those known to harm the country for personal gain.
The streamer's remark catalyzes broader discontent. A creator who became wealthy playing video games and speaking vulgarly becomes an accidental spokesperson for indignation parties fail to channel. This, not the insult itself, explains why the topic persists days later.
How much must average salaries rise for today's generation, unable to afford homes, to stop envying 1975 data?
Spain's most-watched streamer claims only "illiterates" vote for Pedro Sánchez, shifting the conversation to a statistical dispute: did life improve in 1975 despite lower incomes? The answer defies common sense.
The catalyst is a tweet antiestéticaturing the Galician creator's attack on the Prime Minister. Social media splits between those applauding the outburst and those noting his history of insulting half the country. However, the thread quickly evolves into a more compelling analysis: comparing average salaries from 1975 to today, adjusted for inflation.
The 1975 calculation that dismantles nostalgic narratives
A user shares journalist José María Sánchez Galera's tweets arguing Spaniards lived better fifty years ago. Key figures: per capita income was €15,000 in 1975 versus €31,000 today; average salary was 350,000 pesetas (€2,100) then versus €27,000 annually now; minimum wage was 120,000 pesetas (€720) versus €16,000 currently. With cumulative CPI rising 1,419% from 1975 to 2024, those 350,000 pesetas equate to €29,799 today, and the minimum wage to €10,217.
The conclusion challenges nostalgia: the adjusted average salary of 1975 was nearly identical to today's. The disparity lies in housing prices. With €15,000 per capita income, one could buy a 150-square-meter apartment in Plaza de Castilla; with €31,000 today, it barely covers a tiny studio. Milk cost 21 pesetas (€0.13) and newspapers 10 pesetas (€0.06).
Some correct the initial data: €15,000 annually equals €1,250 monthly, or 200,000 pesetas in 1975—a sum earned only by doctors, pharmacists, and engineers. Real per capita income then was around $3,000 annually, roughly €250 monthly. This discrepancy doesn't alter the core finding: purchasing power has remained stagnant for fifty years.
Why does housing break the 1975 vs. today comparison?
Because it consumes half of family income, and its price hasn't trinc the same curve as wages. The viral calculation shows that in 1975, a 150-square-meter house required three to seven years of average salary. Today, this ratio has multiplied without corresponding wage increases. Practically, the average Spaniard in 2024 earns a real salary similar to their grandparents', but competes for an asset whose price has completely decoupled.
The fiscal aspect is another key argument. In 1975, VAT didn't exist, income tax was much lower, utilities cost a fraction of current rates, and property tax wasn't applicable as such. Including these factors reveals effective purchasing power even lower than raw salary comparisons suggest. Official inflation data is also questioned for excluding housing, precisely where costs have risen most.
Quality of 1970s housing: the counterargument
Not everyone accepts the nostalgic view. Against the idea that life was better before, critics note that 1970s and 80s apartments had poor thermal insulation, asbestos cement, and paint that oxidized quickly. Price comparisons ignore that the product differs: today's insulation, energy efficiency, and durability are vastly superior. Yet, most Spaniards still live in those older buildings, not new developments.
Political backdrop: voter demographics and motivations
Beyond statistics, the thread explores electoral sociology. Some argue PSOE voters aren't unintelligent but respond to specific incentives: public employment, subsidies, pensions, and aid ecosystems making voting rational. Others attribute it to character or self-interest. A third, uncomfortable view suggests the issue isn't ignorance but intent: voting for those known to harm the country for personal gain.
The streamer's remark catalyzes broader discontent. A creator who became wealthy playing video games and speaking vulgarly becomes an accidental spokesperson for indignation parties fail to channel. This, not the insult itself, explains why the topic persists days later.
How much must average salaries rise for today's generation, unable to afford homes, to stop envying 1975 data?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (115 replies).
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