High taxes in Sweden: yes please, but give me my money’s worth

Tax revenue in Sweden, as a percentage of GDP, is consistently one of the highest in the world. Income tax in Sweden, when combined with the social fees paid by the employer, is on average about 44.4%, but can be much more for high income earners. The average non-­‐Swede would probably cringe at the thought.

”People trust the State, the politicians, the administration, to use their tax money in an effective way,” says Henrik Berggren, Swedish author and historian, and former political editor of the daily newspaper “Dagens Nyheter”. ”I think that’s the basic reason for acceptance. The second is that there is a high evaluation of equality in Sweden. The political goal has been to create as equal conditions as possible for people.”

The Swedish Tax Agency is considered one of the most trust worthy brands in the country and Swedes, in general, quite happily pay their taxes. It seems that the great social welfare system of the nation is based on a culture of collectivist ideas that has been fostered over generations, with concepts like ”folkhemmet”; ”the peoples home”.

For the upcoming Swedish elections, tax issues do play a role in the debate, but perhaps not in the way one would expect.

”It would stun all American political experts to hear that an incumbent government would propose tax increases before a national election, in order to gain votes! This is not the American way,” comments Fulbright Professor of American Studies at Uppsala University, Steven Schier. ”(In the United States) you would urge lower taxes, in various ways.”

And even on Tax Declaration Day itself, the people’s view seems clear: ”I’ll pay, as long as I get value for my money”.

See the Video News Release and Broll, to share and download, on  http://mediaroom.sweden.se