UK is not Europe, in fact you pay less taxes and you actually do get a pension since it's tied to a low taxation fund that belongs to you. Germany is about 45%

UK is not Europe, in fact you pay less taxes and you actually do get a pension since it's tied to a low taxation fund that belongs to you. Germany is about 45% once you go over the 45-50k bruto, which is not much if you ask me (rent tends to be 35-40% of your income). Also, note in Germany the company has another 30-40% cost on top of your bruto (they pay the other half of your pension and health insurance, for instance). Don't look just at what you get, but at your overall cost for the company. Past experience? After World War II public spending has been trending up everywhere (also in US, but more in Europe). What did we get in Europe? Slow growth, huge public debt, 3+ times the unemployment they have in USA, should I continue? The thing is: government is just really, really, bad in any kind of productive spending. Government should take care of the ones in need* and should make clear rules for everybody, that's it, everything else is waste (and we have seen it). *And let's be clear here: this doesn't mean public housing in the city center. This means giving enough to keep your dignity, which means you need to accept to leave far from the city. Just that people "in need" should be actual people in need, not some privileged class (like in Denmark students get money to study, those are NOT people in need)