Your framing is the problem: the US is not the standard, the US is the outlier here. Given American society values based on individualism it's not that strange

Your framing is the problem: the US is not the standard, the US is the outlier here. Given American society values based on individualism it's not that strange they get paid more but also don't have as much support from the government as most EU countries do. In that sense it's a choice of lifestyle, if you want to get rich but also suffer more risks doing that, go live in the US and try it out. For me, personally, coming from an Americanised society such as Brazil I much prefer living in a place where life is stable and comfortable, where I know I won't be left to die if I can't manage for any reason (usually health) to find and/or keep a job. I won't be living extremely comfortably but I won't end up as an addict thrown out in Mission District in SF to suffer alone. Different values, different views. The US is the outlier in pay, most of the EU tips into a more collectivist view. All in all, I much prefer the "relative poverty" of living in Sweden rather than getting 2-3x take-home pay while living in a stressful society such as the US. My peace of mind is very, very worth it.