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The 52% rate only applies to the highest bracker of income (above € 54.776). Taxes on other brackets are far lower. The relative high tax rates also buy you goo

The 52% rate only applies to the highest bracker of income (above € 54.776). Taxes on other brackets are far lower. The relative high tax rates also buy you good insurance, a government-sanctioned pension, coverage of some costs of studying, etc. Or in other words, taxes are relatively high because it is a welfare state.

poundy 16y ago
That's about $75,000. I am sure a lot of people pay that. Its nice to see that it also buys you better insurance, pretty good. That's the way it should be! In the UK all you get is the same kind of health care irrespective of your contribution.
- zephyrfalcon 16y ago
  I think he means that the existence of high tax rates buys everyone good insurance, etc. I haven't heard of people in higher tax brackets getting better health insurance than those in lower ones. So it would be the same as in the UK. Then again, I left the Netherlands nine years ago, so who knows, maybe it has changed since then... =/
  - wil2k 16y ago
    You're correct zephyrfalcon. People get the same kind of health care, no matter if they earn a lot or not much compared to others.
  - ojilles 16y ago
    Zephyr is right, it buys everyone the same insurance
- cdavid 16y ago
  You cannot compare salaries in Europe and the US directly. For example, average salary after mandatory payment to health care, retirement and unemployment insurance is around 26000 euros/year for men in France (http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau.asp?reg_id=0&id=38 http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau.asp?reg_id=0&id=38, official statistical institute in France, generally considered very reliable). This means something like 34000 euros / year before any taxes. So no, not many people earn 75000$ / year.