I like Germany for an example. The top tax bracket (Spitzensteuersatz) is 42% and is reached when you earn a laughable 57k€ a year, something that will never al

I like Germany for an example. The top tax bracket (Spitzensteuersatz) is 42% and is reached when you earn a laughable 57k€ a year, something that will never allow you to afford an apartment in a city for a family. The next higher tax rate is 45% for income above 279k€ a year (Rich tax). Source: https://einkommensteuerrechner.com.de/Steuersatz.php https://einkommensteuerrechner.com.de/Steuersatz.php And then the German finance ministry keeps trying to squeeze blood from the turnip even further every year by dreaming up new taxes, while actively discouraging investing (Olaf, the finance minister, claims not to invest in the stock market and keeps his money in a savings account while at the same time pushing negative interest rates) with Transaction taxes and no tax-advantaged savings account. You could consider that maybe conservative Germany encourages investment in real estate. Nope, you get to pay 6% sales tax and 1% notary fees when you buy a home, with no breaks for first-time home buyers, and you can't write the interest off on your taxes either.