Do people in Nordic countries really believe in socioeconomic equality, or is that just an aspiration?

[Baltic Whaler]

Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer

This is what I'd like to get some clarity on.

How do people who are hardworking accept such extremely high tax rates on their income?

Can't you just pay for your education and healthcare instead of paying such high taxes?

At that point, what difference does it make?

Taxes aren't extremely high when you realise what you get with said taxes. Free healthcare for life; no co-pays, no deductibles. Free college which means no savings needed for your kids' college, subsidised student housing, subsidised student meals at cafeterias. Very cheap daycare for your kids, well-funded primary education, no school fundraisers ever. Subsidised swimming pools, soccer fields, ice hockey rinks etc. High-class infrastructure, no bridge collapses, no power line collapses because it was a bit cold or windy today. State-funded support NGOs for people that are disabled, sick, autistic, dyslexic, blind or whatever. State-funded sanctuary homes for domestic violence victims, subsidised summer camps for children. Subsidised elderly care and nursing homes, subsidised prescription drugs and so on. AND generous pensions. No 401k:s or other savings needed.


Hard-working high tax -payer implies that one is some kind of coke-sniffing secretary-grabbing Wall Street ghoul, while for example social workers who help disabled children are unproductive lazy losers with their low wages. We don't really think that way.


edit: and income taxes are pretty much the end-all of everything. For example property taxes are like 5% of what they are in states like NY or IL. In those states property taxes can be tens of thousands a year, while in the Nordics we are talking about hundreds a year. VATs are of course a factor, but an iPhone in Sweden doesn't cost 24% more than in the US because of VAT, it's like 15% more or something. Apple just eats up the lesser profit margin for product competitiveness.

[the troubadour]

Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer

This is what I'd like to get some clarity on.

How do people who are hardworking accept such extremely high tax rates on their income?

Can't you just pay for your education and healthcare instead of paying such high taxes?

At that point, what difference does it make?

Because they for the most part understand the value in paying such taxes. That does not mean all are on board. There are those with similar individualistic thinking along the line of many Americans.
Just thankfully not the majority.

Denmark has rich of course. The big difference is the gap between what the CEO earns for example compared to one of the workers. It is not obscenely more and makes for less a class divide in Denmark.

The reason these countries rate as the happiest in the world, may just be the lack of worrying about health care bills, aged care, child care, education costs.

As we see in other advanced countries, these costs are barely affordable for many of the population. If at all.

Surely more productive in all ways imaginable to run a society (which remains still far from perfect, just fairer) ?

[BigCityDreamer]

Originally Posted by the troubadour

Because they for the most part understand the value in paying such taxes. That does not mean all are on board. There are those with similar individualistic thinking along the line of many Americans.
Just thankfully not the majority.

Denmark has rich of course. The big difference is the gap between what the CEO earns for example compared to one of the workers. It is not obscenely more and makes for less a class divide in Denmark.

The reason these countries rate as the happiest in the world, may just be the lack of worrying about health care bills, aged care, child care, education costs.

As we see in other advanced countries, these costs are barely affordable for many of the population. If at all.

Surely more productive in all ways imaginable to run a society (which remains still far from perfect, just fairer) ?

Do people accept the system in Nordic countries because there is a tacit understanding that most people are racially, ethnically, and culturally similar?

The United States is very diverse, as you know.

There are significant differences in the socioeconomic outcomes of different demographic groups.

It has been this way in the United States for many decades.