Report: Most Heavily Taxed Nations Are the Happiest

MarketWatch:

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says people in Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands are the most content with their lives. The three ranked first, second and third, respectively, in the OECD's rankings of "life satisfaction," or happiness.

There are myriad reasons, of course, for happiness: health, welfare, prosperity, leisure time, strong family, social connections and so on. But there is another common denominator among this group of happy people: taxes.

Northern Europeans pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Danes pay about two-thirds of their income in taxes.

Read the whole story: MarketWatch

Comments

[Tim303]

No taxation without representation! And vice versa!

[planetfotheApes]

All we have is taxation without representation.

[FormerReaganite]

How so? Do you even know what that means? Or you just repeating something you've heard on Faucks News?

[FormerReaganite]

Go away, Glenn Beck!

[bygollymissmolly]

Oh really? Do you drive on interstate highways? Do your children go to public school? Do you have a police department and a fire department? Do you have a library?

What pays for those services you avail yourselves of?

[Myshkin57]

You have representation, dingbat. Learn what a phrase means before you go repeating it.

[SayWhatYouWill]

Sure, Americans don't get free healthcare, free education, vacation time, adequate unemployment benefits, long-term disability, extended maternity/paternity leave, child care benefits, time with their kids and spouse, first-world life expectancy, time for hobbies, sick time off, and job security and protection.

Aside from the balancing points that Americans pay so little taxes and have liberty and freedom (especially to own guns), I ask those complaining: where is the honor in your work? All the things I mentioned above bring honor to your life! It's uniquely American. Be proud. Americans have honor at work (especially if you work for a multi-national corporation). Europeans don't experience such honor.

Sincerely,
Your employer

[This message has been paid for by the Republican National Committee.]

[SecondBase]

Okay. Breaks over. Everybody back to work.

[LeafFan4ever]

SayWhatYouWill

excellent post man!!

[LiberalDemIda]

Excellent post!

[harobamason]

True its a balancing act but 'work' shouldn't take over your life.

America is learning there are no job guarantees anymore.

Sincerely,
Employee

[FormerReaganite]

The million dollar question: Can we afford national health care if we cut military spending? If so, by how much? Should we do this?

[AmandaBC]

"Can we afford national health care if we cut military spending?"

Considering that the US spends on we.apons and useless shiny toys more than the entire rest of the world combined, you could buy the best universal health care system this planet has ever seen...

[FormerReaganite]

I read somewhere recently that the mony we have spent in Iraq in the last five years could have actually bought every American decent health care. (for the last 5 years)
Or paved the entire U.S. highway system with gold leaf... WOW!!!

[flossophy]

But then who would defend our allies from the aggressors in the world?

What good is the best health care system in the world if all of our foreign friends are threatened by the enemies of the west?

[Naktyvyras]

The US has a military budget larger than the 40 countries behind it combined.

Much of it is on redundant weapons to counter non-existent threats.
The current Pentagon budget to cut productions of the air-to-air F-22s and focus more on air-to-ground fighters is a step forward, but more needs to be done.

[RoseMerry]

Finally - it is soo good to read about those socialist countries that WORK. I spent a week in the Netherlands and had a short time in one of the most densely populated, yet truly CIVILIIZATED countries in the world.

My country is ruled by gangsters and prostitutes. And full of stupid people who think those machines actually count their votes. It is called the United States of America.

[planetfotheApes]

They going bankrupt and by the end of 2012 you will see a group of dependent people groveling for food.

[Sepulchre]

Name a country right now because of this economic crisis that isn't going bankrupt, other than Brazil?

[Nyland8]

We've been hearing this for decades. What is it about the idea of "government by the people, of the people and for the people" that eludes you?

[Ajita]

@flossophy:

All through this thread you have sidestepped the arguments when facts were presented and have distorted the arguments when your facts were discredited. You exhibit a clear case of confirmation bias (look it up). No amount of evidence is going to convince you that you're wrong. Perhaps the only thing that will convince you that the current form of ruthless capitalism we practice leads to suffering, low quality of life, high disparity of wealth and long-term stability is being placed in a situation similar to that of those people who are trampled underfoot when republican policies are implemented. At its essence, this is an argument from compassion, but believe me, there is a solid backbone of pragmatism holding up my compassion.

@ the rest:
Good Night Everyone.

[AmandaBC]

Night Ajita, see you soon.

[Ajita]

night Amanda, it's been fun!

[Ajita]

Oops, I meant long term 'Instability'.

[SecondBase]

Ajita,

flossophy can't help his behavior. He has unfortunately contracted a medical complication called optical collidus. It's an organic condition where the optic nerve is diverted downward, becoming intertwined with the large intestine. Poor flossophy exhibits the classic symptoms - a sh.i.t.t.y outlook on life.

Sadly, at this time, there is no known cure.

[flossophy]

:)

ahh, yes... when you lose the intellectual argument - disparage the opponent.

bravo.

[FormerReaganite]

Maybe dental *flossing?* Cures bad breath and makes people want to hang around and listen. If he had more friends in real life, maybe he wouldn't bother us here online (?)

[planetfotheApes]

Amazing how the horrors visited on people after the useful edjits centralized power to create their utopias is completely lost on the fantasy world Leftist.

So some happy man, will assume absolute power, take everyone's wealth, make everything equal and we will all be happy? That logic has been thoroughly shown to result in massive suffering.

[Sepulchre]

And the right is determined to insure there are two classes, the rich and the poor. They certainly have not gone out of their way to help keep the middle class. That would have involved actually going against their business interests and making money is all they care about.

[flossophy]

Your concept is completely lost on the distorted altruists here...

They do not investigate their ide0logical history, so how would they know.

[flossophy]

I must have rattled a nerve with you... good :)

Keep thinking about what I said.

Altruism or Charity in government is unhealthy for society... it's prone to political abuse. Keep it in the hands of individuals wanting to help other individuals.

You cannot say that Reagan's policies were bad for society... when contrasting them with Carter's policies. Reagan's policies led to massive economic growth, which the world benefited from... while Carter's policies led to economic stagflation, high unemployment and overall economic malaise.

The ide0logical argument is over with this stark contrast... low taxes, less government is good for humans... high taxes, large government is bad for humans. The historical record is quite clear on this.

Let go of the left... they failed humanity in the 20th century... and they're prospects aren't looking good in the 21st.

Good night, and good luck.

[Sepulchre]

I don't think you rattled a nerve at all. Normal people have things to do other than be on here all the time. They also do human things like sleep.

[AmandaBC]

"I must have rattled a nerve"

More like provoked general hilarity...

[FormerReaganite]

floss, please be more specific on "Reagan's policies resulted in massive growth" and "Carter's policies resulted in stagflation." HOW SO? We keep on hearing this mantra, ad nauseam, from you and other right-wing "experts." If you think that Reagan was so great, that means that you *support* socialism. Here is why: Reagan had increased military spending by a very large amount. Here is a news flash: The military is not a *private enterprise!* That makes Reagan the biggest-spending SOCIALIST of the late 20th century!

[OneTop]

By chance were you home schooled ?

[Myshkin57]

What you say is absolutely false. The historical record is quite clear on this. And, in keeping with your modus operandi, I will not cite any facts or explain why that is so.

[totaldisbelief]

I pay my taxes every week...oops I got laid off today........and all I get is overpaid and overfed politicians, B.S. and wars......I'd gladly pay more taxes if I got health care ,old age coverage ,a good education for my kids and the world not pizzed off at me.

[smchp]

Afraid your going to have to move as the Red states are hell bent on turning the US into Somaila!

[LeafFan4ever]

Fantastic Post!!

[Palemoon]

BEST POST EVER!!!

[CintiBlue]

I don't have kids, but would pay without my usual complaints if your children were getting an excellent education.

Confession: I'd also gladly pay for the other stuff as well.

[Montgriz]

Agreed.....I pay more for health insurance than I would with any tax increase, and the quality of life in America sucks compared to Europe and Canada......maybe it is because our right wing nuts are more fascist than elsewhere.....

[FormerReaganite]

I think the reason conservatives get so miffed about taxes if the fact that they feel as though they are supporting sloth. That is, a welfare state which pays people not to work. They do not seem to understand that it is *their* conservative coddling of big business which allows jobs to be so freely shipped overseas, putting Americans out of work, then on welfare. Conservatives cause poverty!

Tax cuts for the wealthy so they will invest in U.S. industry? NOT! They invest in offshore industry in Asia (as well as stuffing their secret Swiss bank accounts.) Tax cuts for the wealthy are thus like trying to fill a leaky bucket with water. End all tax cuts for the wealthy.

[flossophy]

Actually, it's the Democrats heavy taxing of big business which drove them off shore... And unsustainable union arrangements... If you look at every major Democrat-run big city, you will find generational poverty.

You can't blame that on the conservatives.

Tax cuts spur economic activity... it's called the 80's. Why don't you look up the economic figures for that era and then come back here and tell me tax cuts don't work.

Reagan's policies led to the largest 25 year worldwide economic expansion in history... since you are a FormerReaganite... i'm surprised you don't know this.

[AmandaBC]

Reagan's policies lead to the biggest deficit the world has ever seen... Not to mention the creation of Al Qaeda (at that time fully sponsored by the CIA.) Nice job Ronnie...

[BritishColumbian]

How much of your tax dollars go to fraid. There doesn't seem to be a gov't program in America without it.

[LeighAnnes]

Reagan raised taxes after the initial cuts. Saying that he lowered taxes is one of the Republican myths. Additionally, most of the poverty in this country is found in the red states.

[Ajita]

"If you look at every major Democrat-run big city, you will find generational poverty"
Every big city IS democrat-run. Cities are a much more efficient way of living, with more net-input (input minus intake) than small towns.

Tax cuts work till everyone invests and the rich get richer. Then when the coisla systems break, education, environment and healthcare fail and the poor can't afford to consume anymore, it fails. What we are seeing now is the result of the tax cuts of the 80s.

Regan's policies are responsible for the current economic crisis. You need to look at long term trends. Oh wait, I forgot that republicans have no foresight.

[FormerReaganite]

What I do know is that Reagan's tax-cutting resulted in growth, all right. Growth of the national debt. I recall a headline in 1981: debt reaches $1 trillion for the first time. That started to grow exponentially from then on. I read all of the "doom-and-gloom" books of the 70s and 80s, which predicted monetary collapse. They were right. Here we are at that prophesied point in time. Surprise!

[LeighAnnes]

Additionally, all the conservatives I know are hypocritical free loaders. They don't declare all their income because they don't want to pay taxes; however, they are the first to make use of government programs like unemployment, medicaid, social security, etc. They just don't wan to pay for it.

[Ajita]

And if anyone says that social security welfare was created by the republicans, quote them Johnson's law: In any conversation between a Republican and a Democrat if the former brings up any achievement of the Republican party that was accomplished before 1964, the Democrat wins the argument.

[FormerReaganite]

That's because Republicans are "borrow-and-spend." They love to spend our tax dollars on military toys and wars. Eisenhower warned of the "military-industrial complex." Why do we have wars, anyway? So that the politicians can use their toys in battle. Just like little boys. Thing is, they aren't the ones who have to do the fighting.

[deermudra]

I have noticed the same thing!

[planetfotheApes]

Democrats passed NAFTA.

Of course countries that tax the few to support the sloth are happy. A large group gets something for nothing. Did they poll only those being taxed to death?

It matters not, the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money. We are approaching that point.

[FormerReaganite]

Social Security and Medicare retirees (your parents or grandparents) are "sloth?" Yo mama oughta slap you upside yo head!

[totaldisbelief]

without reading the article... I'll bet it ain't here.

[EconPadawan]

I propose a new rule. Government representatives both Repubs and Dems who are seeking election should have at least one year experience in public healthcare administration. I believe that healthcare reform would come about much quicker if they knew first hand what a complete mess it is.

[Rolf618]

Better yet, they should just have to live without insurance for a year

[EconPadawan]

Even better still...get rid of their tax payer funded healthcare!

[Libertyfan]

Interesting. It's also true that in the United States Republicans are happier than Democrats. Figure that one out...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008309258_camphappy250.html

[KarateKid]

Well, you know how the saying goes.....ignorance is bliss.

[FormerReaganite]

Then why are Re-puppet-ligans so darn angry and bitter all of the time???

[flossophy]

That's only how the progress0media makes them out to be... you must not pull your head out of it long enough to notice.

[LeighAnnes]

The 18% of the people who still consider themselves Republican are for the most part, conservative Christians who think: 1) they are better than everyone else 2) they are going to heaven no matter what horrible things they do because they are "saved." They should be happy with God on their side and all.

[KarateKid]

Plus, they let other people do their thinking for them, since it seems to tax their minds so much.

[flossophy]

haha... where do you go to formulate these views? must be a hoot.

[FormerReaganite]

I think real Christians are smart enough to stay out of politics. It is the unsaved and uneducated who listen to the Republican distortions of the real world.

[SecondBase]

I think the reason for that is that conservatives get so much joy from ha.t.i.n.g liberals.

Seriously. Name me one thing conservatives get more joy out of than doing ev.il on libs. It's what they live for - their glorious purpose.

[FormerReaganite]

Isn't that the same MO of the ray-cysts?

[flossophy]

conservatives don't ha`te liberals... they just disagree with them on policies...

they just make fun of libs for having such irrational beliefs.

what evi| are conservatives doing to libs? pray tell.

[totaldisbelief]

Shee-it they got all the dammed Money !

[BritishColumbian]

After reading some of the responses on this blog and others, one aspect that make countries like Canada, Sweden, etc is that we don't hate nor distrust each other like Americans seem to do. We have disagreements some political, economical ,etc but we have a social contract with each other through our social programs:we take care of our own and that is something that is now part of our "DNA" .

Until America finds some way to get past their divisions, there really isn't anything that is going to change no matter how extraordinary your President is. He will probably get more cooperation probably from people outside your country than he will from your politicians even in his own party.

[AmandaBC]

"After reading some of the responses on this blog and others, one aspect that make countries like Canada, Sweden, etc is that we don't hate nor distrust each other like Americans seem to do."

Yeah, but Harper's still a dou.chebag... :)

[BritishColumbian]

I am a Liberal but Harper has changed. Remember he was from Conservative Alberta but the realities of Ottawa and a greater knowledge of the Canadian populous has caused this.

Case in point would be that he has not even broached his prolife tendencies nor made any attempt to obstruct gay marriages. These two areas are two of the major contentious issues in America today. Plus "socialized" medicine.

[Simon Leufstedt]

I am happy to pay high taxes as I know I will get something meaningful in return. But also because I know it helps poor, unemployed, sick and old people. I would never want to live in a cold and cruel society, such as USA, that only cares about the rich and successful.

In Sweden we have political parties that successfully go to election promising to raise our taxes even more. And in the next Swedish election I will vote for one of those parties. Because if we raise our taxes we will be able to invest more in the public sector, e.g. get better health care, schools and stronger environmental regulations and investments.

And yes. I do believe that high taxes and happiness are very much related. If you don't have to worry about becoming unemployed or being able to afford education or health care you will live a happier and less stressful life.

[Ajita]

This is exactly what we need here. You said it well, the US system is "cold and cruel". It builds its success on the shoulders of those who are too weak to survive the system, often because of no fault of their own. We are a system that rewards birthright with endless opportunity even in the face of failure, while punishing kindness and hardwork from the lower strata of society by relegating them to mediocrity and substandard living.

[BritishColumbian]

Americans need to add ion their health care costs at the very least before they compare taxes.

[flossophy]

Those policies haven't worked over the last 40-70 years... perhaps we should try something different?

Simon Leufstedt last sentence describes exactly the problem with Western Europe... when there's nothing to worry about, societies wallow in a permanent adolescence... completely oblivious to the problems in the world. Again, this is reflected in their low birthrates... What good is a worry-free society if it won't be around in the future.

[SecondBase]

Simon,

I'm curious. How many hours is the average work week in your country?

One of the most poisonous aspects of American life is that we spend so much of our lives working.

The irony is that after we work so many hours we lose - in a very real sense - our families and our selves, and the things we buy from our many hours of work don't seem to ever satisfy us. We are starving in the land of plenty.

[Ajita]

I can't wait to read Simon's response to this one, but I just thought I'll chime in about the whole working-too-many-hours thing. It's more than just the number of hours. There is a sense of living to work here in the US, that is true, but in more socialist countries people actually enjoy their work much more. Their jobs are a central part of their lives, unlike here where people usually go socially dead for their 8 hours and then go home to rejuvenate.

[Simon Leufstedt]

Oh, that is a hard question to answer because it's different depending on how you count. But Sweden has, like many other countries, an 8-hour work day which was introduced in 1919. So that would make the average work week in Sweden to around 40 hours. The legal maximum is 48 hours per week and with additional pay for overtime.

But I don't think it's any different compared to the US of A?

Some politicians wants to lower the number of hours your work so that you can spend more time with your family and so that more people can get a job. And I wouldn’t have anything against that! ;)

[FormerReaganite]

Thank You.

[BritishColumbian]

We couldn't be paying more than you for taxes and health care...with the same union pay and benefits as American auto workers can make a car for 1 200 dollars less than in the States. This whole tax descrepency is a boondoogle unless you add in the cost of health care.

[ams23]

You GOPs can't get it that america sucks, and it's the laughing stock of the whole world. Thanks to George Bush and Co, we should send you all to your republican dream land of Somalia.

[flossophy]

Somalia is a failed c0mmunist state.. why do so many Pr0gressives call it a republican dreamland?

pure folly.

[Palemoon]

For a failed state, they sure wield alot of clout in the Gulf of Aden to the point that NATO is in a huge standoff with them. Plus they seem to wield alot of clout with their neighbors as well. Remember, by calling it a failed state, you are looking at it from the view of the US. Heck, some countries can look at us and consider us now to be third world, failing state. It's all a matter of perspective. Course, where we stand, we can at least say Mexico is a bigger failed state than we are. ;o)

[moongal6]

For me, this article is a no brainer. It follows on the heels of another article I perused last week.
That story said the happiest people lived in countries where there were high taxes, but cradle to grave care. Education was paid for, medical was paid for and people had jobs and liked going to work and there was hardly any crime.
I want that.

[Cosmic-Zantor]

I think we'll get there. The US is a few decades behind the curve when it comes to social progress.

The Democrats in the US would be considered moderates in any other industrialized society, so it's a laughable joke that the conservatives here characterize them as socialists. The US could use some democratic socialism, but I think it's going to take awhile to get there. Hopefully Obama will set us on the right path.

[Rolf618]

We dont have a few decades though. In case you and Congress havent noticed, we might have been out front for a while, but the rest of the world is starting to lap us. We delay only at our own peril

[Disuberence]

Not to mention among voters under 30 only 3% more prefer capitalism.

[BritishColumbian]

What about gay marriage, individual choice to have or not have an abortion, the death penalty...you just seem to be in perpetual in political gridlock which is very sad.

[Ajita]

Well said, moongal. Those in power here have convinced us that happiness comes only from being self-reliant in everything. People have forgotten that communities exist for a reason.

[flossophy]

The pilgrims tried running their society as a commune... it didn't work out too well for them. They switched to a private property model and thrived.

Look up the story of Thanksgiving.

[KarateKid]

If we had coffee shops like they do in the Netherlands we'd be a lot happier, too.

[Ajita]

I concur :]

[AmandaBC]

You mean "coffee" shops, right? ;)

[KarateKid]

Well, if you are from BC,"bud", you'd know. :-D

[dutchman]

I live near the one where Bill Mahar filmed "Religulous". It's a fun spot!!

[SecondBase]

We should turn Gitmo into a reorientation camp for conservatives. Take them there, strap them down, and give them a couple of weeks of waterbudding to force them to smile and laugh, and rid their systems of the neocon toxins.

[flossophy]

They tried that in the S0viet Union... but we're still here! haha :)