This snitching culture is really a thing in Germany. There was some poor pensioner who collected recyclable bottles from trash bins (where they don't belong, you're supposed to bring them to the supermarkets and throw them in a machine in exchange for money (you pay ~25 cent extra for some beverages)). You know, plenty of broken people in Berlin, often natives. That person was reported to the police for that for theft, and was fined by the court over a damage of what, ~2€ or so.

In East Germany it was common that people reported each other. But that was also common before with Germans ratting out on Jews. Sure, not everybody, but relatively many. You try not to pay taxes - you'll in a world of trouble because some fucker will report you, because you didn't pay your "fair share."

In Hungary however snitching never was a thing. Even during the Soviet occupation people didn't snitch on each other. Even today and 10-20 years ago it was common that you can occasionally pay the bus driver a lower amount without getting a ticket - effectively doing tax evasion. Sometimes other are also done without a bill, avoiding taxation. My mother also likes to pay her neighbors to mow her lawn, obviously without paying any taxes. I too went to private education for mathematics, paid ~7€ every week (and resulted in getting a top degree on the final exam in some higher difficulty thing btw).

People simply don't snitch on each other, and it's not even under some threat, it's just not a thing. I have yet to hear about anyone getting busted for avoiding some taxes. We don't frown upon people who do that - quite the contrary, the common deal is: You don't get a bill, and the service costs like ~20-30% less.

My brother and I sometimes joke around about having to look unshaved or dumb (making a dumb facial expression) in order to be eligible for a "discount ticket" with bus drivers.

I consider that an interesting government defying, Libertarian stroke natural to Hungarians. Although I don't know if that's actually common nationally or just regionally. Maybe it's just a rural thing. But I grew up with it.

This snitching culture is really a thing in Germany. There was some poor pensioner who collected recyclable bottles from trash bins (where they don't belong, you're supposed to bring them to the supermarkets and throw them in a machine in exchange for money (you pay ~25 cent extra for some beverages)). You know, plenty of broken people in Berlin, often natives. That person was reported to the police for that for theft, and was fined by the court over a damage of what, ~2€ or so.

In East Germany it was common that people reported each other. But that was also common before with Jews. Sure, not everybody, but relatively many. You try not to pay taxes - you'll in a world of trouble because some fucker will report you, because you didn't pay your "fair share."

In Hungary however snitching never was a thing. Even during the Soviet occupation people didn't snitch on each other. Even today and 10-20 years ago it was common that you can occasionally pay the bus driver a lower amount without getting a ticket - effectively doing tax evasion. Sometimes other are also done without a bill, avoiding taxation. My mother also likes to pay her neighbors to mow her lawn, obviously without paying any taxes. I too went to private education for mathematics, paid ~7€ every week (and resulted in getting a top degree on the final exam in some higher difficulty thing btw).

People simply don't snitch on each other, and it's not even under some threat, it's just not a thing. I have yet to hear about anyone getting busted for avoiding some taxes. We don't frown upon people who do that - quite the contrary, the common deal is: You don't get a bill, and the service costs like ~20-30% less.

My brother and I sometimes joke around about having to look unshaved or dumb (making a dumb facial expression) in order to be eligible for a "discount ticket" with bus drivers.

I consider that an interesting government defying, Libertarian stroke natural to Hungarians. Although I don't know if that's actually common nationally or just regionally. Maybe it's just a rural thing. But I grew up with it.