European taxes are higher for some people, but I'm not sure the average middle-class or upper-middle-class American comes out ahead, even purely monetarily. In

European taxes are higher for some people, but I'm not sure the average middle-class or upper-middle-class American comes out ahead, even purely monetarily. In return for your taxes, many countries cover both healthcare and higher education, which Americans have to buy separately. If you add up [federal tax + state tax + payroll tax + student-loan payments + health insurance premiums], a Californian making $80k might take home only about $40k, while a Dane making $80k would take home about $50k.