Denmark has been described as a socialist hellhole by FOX...

They have universal healthcare and free college, a $25 minimum wage, and most workers work 35 hours/week.

I wonder why this "socialist hellhole" is the happiest country in the world?

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ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

Because they LOVE paying taxes at a rate that would have Americans in open revolt? 25% basic sales tax and some things even higher, just to start with.

iamthe99 · MNew

@ChipmunkErnie How dreadful. But cost of living is far lower in Denmark, so their salary goes much further, and they also get free education, healthcare, childcare, subsidised energy bills and public transport and some of the cleanest air and water in the world.

That's what their taxes pay for.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@iamthe99 They get "free" nothing -- they pay for it via high taxes and a quick internet search comes up with the cost of living in Denmark being over 3% higher than the cost of living in the USA.

iamthe99 · MNew

@ChipmunkErnie 3% higher. OK. How much higher is the cost of healthcare in the US?

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@iamthe99 Not sure, but then I'm not sure if "cost of living" includes health care or not. If my sales tax more than tripled, though, I'd expect some damned good health care from it. But another search comes up with tax burden on Danes is more than triple that of total taxes on Americans (40+% vs about 16%). BUT I have the feeling that the Danish tax burden is spread much more evenly across the population than the US tax system allows.