Why the Swedes love doing something that Americans hate ( www.bbc.com )

Sweden is infamous for having some of the highest taxes in the world, and yet the country's tax agency is still one of Sweden's most trusted institutions.

The Swedish attitude towards tax contrasts sharply with many countries where taxes can be a deeply divisive issue. We investigate what this says about Swedish society and how the popularity of the welfare state might survive growing challenges in the future.

CrowAirbrush ,

I never had any real issues with taxes back when groceries, rent and insurance were affordable.

The issues came to light when life started to cost 1.5 times our income, while still having to pay 40% on income and an extra 20% on expenses. I'd rather pay less taxes and eat, when taxes don't do anything. I also learned that our safety nets are a scam, they set up so many bullshit rules that when i needed it they literally went: "you have the right to receive €800 but you won't get it, no matter how hard you try". I tried for a year until i realised our money is just being stolen under the cover of "taxes".

lightnsfw ,

Yep, if taxes are preventing you from having a minimum of a comfortable standard of living then what is the point? That money should be coming out of the pockets of those that can afford it.

Crikeste ,

I find it funny that people are saying “well my taxes go to things I don’t want to support like oil companies and football teams”

Meanwhile in Texas, the most tax-hating state in the US, they love oil companies and private business eating up public funds.

Ironic.

jaemo ,

Because Americans let movie stars and reality show con-men drive the train and idolize their asinine tomfoolery like it's a goddamn team sport. Garbage in garbage out. Why is this even a question, what the fuck. This shit is as obvious as hot pink wallpaper.

TubularTittyFrog ,

American culture is mentally ill.

DLSantini ,

Because here in America, when they take my money, it's to give away to oil companies and weapons dealers. Not to give us all health care and affordable housing.

WoahWoah ,

55% of tax dollars in the united states goes to social programs, social security, and healthcare.

wolfpack86 ,

Source?

sylver_dragon ,

Handy Infographic from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO):
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/2023_US_Federal_Budget_Infographic.png.

  • Total Federal outlays: $6.1 Trillion
  • Federal Social Spending
    • Social Security: $1.3T
    • Medicare: $0.839T
    • Medicaid: $0.616T
    • Income Security Programs: $0.448T
    • Total Social Spending: $3.203T

Math warning:

(3.203T / $6.1T) * 100% = 52.5%

So, not quite the previous poster's 55%, but pretty close. There is also an "Other" column which likely includes other social spending and may have gotten us to that number. But, it's enough of a mixed bag, and way too much work, to try and pick it all out.

While the US could certainly adjust it's spending in a lot of good ways, the idea that the US spends "nothing" on social programs is provably false. These numbers also get weird and much harder to pin down when we look at State level taxes and spending. Many years ago, I dug into education spending in the US. And while Federal Education spending is a drop in the bucket, the actual number is pretty large, because it's considered a State responsibility and each State spends large amounts of money on it.

For example, my home State of Virginia budgets $29.9 Billion for "Health and Human Services" this Fiscal Year 2024 and $25.0 Billion for "Education", those two line items eating up about 62% of the State budget.

wolfpack86 ,

Thanks, and your math makes sense, but I think this is a misinterpretation by op. It's fair to say that as a percentage of expenditure... But not tax dollars.

Social security gets complicated because it's set up as a trust fund and has investments that grow to support disbursement rates. It also means that the expenditures should be carved out, same as the inbound tax. This should shift the calculations meaningfully.

ryathal ,

Social security is a Ponzi scheme, not a trust fund. There's no growing pot of money, the inbound payments are directly used to pay current benefits.

IamtheMorgz ,

Difficult considering social security isn't a tax. Without looking it up my guess is that number rolls up the 14-15% of SS and Medicare taxes so the real number is lower.

GiddyGap ,

Americans actually pay more per capita towards public healthcare than most Europeans, but it just covers so much less (Medicaid and Medicare) because of insane healthcare prices.

barsoap ,

Don't forget bailing out hospitals etc. when people invariably default on their medical debt. On expensive ER bills that only exist because people couldn't afford to visit a GP five years earlier and get some cheap off the shelf preventive medicine.

Also, and this really shouldn't be underestimated: Laws concerning everything from food regulations over transportation polity to sports promotion that don't take people's health into account because health is a private matter. With socialised healthcare, suddenly all those new fancy bike paths have a tangible ROI in yet another public budget (not just the transportation agency's one, that is).

Salix ,

On expensive ER bills that only exist because people couldn't afford to visit a GP five years earlier and get some cheap off the shelf preventive medicine.

A few years ago, I went to the ER because I was feeling abnormally unwell. Sat in the ER for an hour then nurse finally took me into a room. They had to leave to do something immediately after putting me in a room. Sat there for 15 minutes and realized that my body was starting to feel much better so I left.

I got a $3000 bill after insurance. The hospital declined my financial assistant application to get my bill reduced because they said I made too much money. I made $16/hr at the time in an expensive metro area. Ended up paying it off on a 3 year plan.

ryathal ,

Important thing to remember, don't leave after you get put in a room. Get formally discharged, or it becomes AMA, and insurance will always deny coverage.

If you check in at the desk and leave, it's not a big deal, but once you start to receive care you really should stay.

olutukko ,

it's nice to pay taxes if you can actually see the benefits somewhere

TubularTittyFrog ,

My city has great roads and schools.

We also have a high tax rate.

henfredemars ,

It’s because we get so little for those taxes. If we actually had functional services, I would feel like it’s worth it.

rdyoung ,

We should stop voting for people who promise to dismantle said services. We also really need to move towards a basic income setup instead of having all of the hoops and paperwork for people to prove they are eligible for whatever it is. In the USA people going on disability are always denied even if they are a paraplegic. We would spend so much less money and other resources if we just made it available to everyone with no proof of eligibility needed.

FlyingSquid Mod ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Americans have been taught to hate taxes. They have been sold the idea that the original concept of "no taxation without representation" didn't include the latter two words. Decades of Republicans demonizing taxes have done it.

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