this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2024
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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.

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[–] [email protected] -2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

American's hate when the tax payer money is being wasted. Everyone hates that. Awful rage bait and pretentious title.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 months ago (1 children)

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".

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

This is why taxes need to be progressive and based on wealth rather than earnings.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

At the very least they should allow you to use the "safety nets" if you're being taxed below the comfort level.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Where I'm from, we had a wealth tax, but when it was removed in 2007, it only accounted for 0.43 % of all taxes because it was too easy to avoid.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 4 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Perhaps, just maybe, those two things are said by different people.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 4 months ago

As a US citizen I don't feel like I get a good ROI on my taxes. It's a small percentage of upkeep for public things, some below average public education, and a shit ton of weaponry.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Americans hate this one Swede trick.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I mean, its an inaccurate title.

The Swedes have had a number of popular tax revolts in living memory. The big one was back in 1979 (about the same time Americans and Brits were having their own tax revolt) when they threw out the socialist government and brought in a bunch of neoliberal reformers.

Swedes overhauled their tax code in 1985, 1991, and 1994 and then did so again in the 2004 when they abolished inheritance and gift taxes with a unanimous vote.

Until fairly recently, Sweden has been undergoing the same set of neoliberal policies common to western nations. But thanks to being a relatively small economy with an outsized O&G export market, they've skated by what industrial centers in the American Midwest and agg sectors in France and the UK have suffered.

Sweden isn't a high-tax state, its a petro-state with the appearance of high taxes.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oil and gas products account for 4.2% of Sweden's exports. The gas exports alone almost rival those of dairy and eggs! Truly a petrostate if I ever saw one

Are you perhaps thinking of a different country?

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