In the nicer parts of europe, high incomes get taxed more.
But this is offset by the fact that for a born poor but smart and ambitious person, the road from 5 figure pre-tax income to 7+ figure pre-tax income is a lot longer in the US.
That's because the american starts out having to work way more hours for less money, meaning slower accumulation of savings and less spare time for him to educate himself using the free tools all first worlders have. And when he finally becomes financially secure enough to start his own business or start negotiating hardball at prestigious 9-to-5s, there's a new set of problems: A nosier government when it comes to dictating a small business owner can and cannot do. Bosses that are more greedy, and more callous towards their employees, at the prestigious 9-to-5s.
If I could have done my early 20s blue collar work somewhere like denmark or the netherlands, I absolutely would have, but I didn't know that was an option at the time. I know now that it's a little extra work due to the hooks the US has in the global finance system (you have a big one time expenditure of effort at the start to get a european bank account as an american citizen, plus some extra paperwork every year on tax day), but when I was younger I thought it was impossible.
But this is offset by the fact that for a born poor but smart and ambitious person, the road from 5 figure pre-tax income to 7+ figure pre-tax income is a lot longer in the US.
That's because the american starts out having to work way more hours for less money, meaning slower accumulation of savings and less spare time for him to educate himself using the free tools all first worlders have. And when he finally becomes financially secure enough to start his own business or start negotiating hardball at prestigious 9-to-5s, there's a new set of problems: A nosier government when it comes to dictating a small business owner can and cannot do. Bosses that are more greedy, and more callous towards their employees, at the prestigious 9-to-5s.
If I could have done my early 20s blue collar work somewhere like denmark or the netherlands, I absolutely would have, but I didn't know that was an option at the time. I know now that it's a little extra work due to the hooks the US has in the global finance system (you have a big one time expenditure of effort at the start to get a european bank account as an american citizen, plus some extra paperwork every year on tax day), but when I was younger I thought it was impossible.