Your last part is in the direct contrast to low tax countries. Not only do you pay tax on both sides of your income. But we have moms on everything. Essentiall

Your last part is in the direct contrast to low tax countries. Not only do you pay tax on both sides of your income. But we have moms on everything. Essentially you pay more than 50% tax. In Singapore, restaurants will usually show prices excluding tax, forcing you to see the direct impact of tax added on the total sum. Swedish receipts do contain the amount of tax, but it's never as apparent as they always include the sum into everything you buy - thus normalising the concept and make it easier to melt down and eventually accept. Sure, it sucks to split bills with an explicit tax added on, but I rather do the math than having the government normalise taking tax. Very few Swedes are aware of how much tax they actually pay when you go beyond your side of the income tax. 40% loan of GDP doesn't mean jack when the GDP includes a housing bubble about to burst. EDIT: I am not arguing against taxes here, I am just pointing out the differences on how taxes are presented to you.