The UK was NOT better before they joined the EU lol, look into what the 70s were like for Britain. I’m not saying joining the EEC (proto EU) is what made things better though
Discussion
How to measure 'better' on a Fiat standard?
By visiting countries before and after EU. Huge difference. To the better.
Since I am not able to travel time I can't tell. I see now bureaucracy spending forceful taken funds as in the past. And being better off is individual.
Centralization, burocracy and lobbyist on higher level is the problem.
The bigger the incentives to corrupt, the more corruption will be.
Before corruption was not easy on such big levels, that's how IMHO big corporations has being able to flourish, centralise, and fuck up the rest.
Polis as they were in ancient Greace would be what I would look for.