Their success is in large part to their homogenous population (white) and strict immigration. Immigrants tend to be poor and they can bankrupt a social welfare system. Illegal immigration even worse. We are the only country on the planet that lets people walk in and talk our money. And go figure, we're broke. Funny how that works.
There is a very simple litmus test to find where you will have the most freedom. Follow the money. That would take you to Singapore.
I don`t consider Sweden as a socialistic country: We have a liberal government since 6 years. Wealthtax: Nil Gifttax: Nil Inheritancetax: Nil Propertytax: Nil, but you have to pay a propertyfee of max 1.000 $ Capital- and tradinggains are taxed with 0,8% of the amount invested. I think very few countries including Us beat this!!
yeah beautiful place to live....What's their tax? About 40%..but I hear everyone is paid well and get very good pensions. Work hard whilst you can retire in comfort. What more do you want?Guess there's no need to take huge risks like in U.K./U.S.A.? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Besides I have strong libertarian tendencies, but it's difficult looking at Scandinavia and dismissing Socialism as all bad. But their success might have much to do with the small population - as well as the large land available.
The US spend of military is staggering. I watched documentary on it and the numbers were mind boggling.. More nukes than the rest of the world combined More spent on arms then education.welfare,health combined and by a long shot. The graphs were laughable. It was like "arms" and what ever else is elft can go elsewhere. War in Iraq cost $12BN per month Just think if they put say 25% of that back into the economy instead of maknig another nuke or warship.
Why not U.A.E. or Qatar? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is a very simple litmus test to find where you will have the most freedom. Follow the money. That would take you to Singapore.
A lot of that is spent protecting Europe. That's need to stop. If Europe had to fund their own military, they wouldn't have any socialism. Let Russia come in there. They should have to deal with that, not us.
I noticed that as well (and wrote a while ago Stockholm would be one of my favourite expat destination in Europe) It seems sweden has done quite a to retain and attract big wealth, as some of those lighter tax regulations are very recent. I had the chance to walk across Djugarden in Stockholm and there are awesome villas on the Island. Do you know wether wealthy sandinavians have moved to Sweden because capital is less taxed there ? The nihil gift tax seems huge advantage, especially if you can source money out of EU. As of immigration, whereas denmark is pretty tough, sweden is much more accomodative, I'm not so sure in the best way but the country seems to welcome poor refugees from problematic countries who appear to import little value added and some of troubles they grew up with , quite different from the indians in UK or much of the educated immigration in NorthAmerica ( I wasn't faced with the issue btw, but surfing the net, one encounters very strong resentment from swedes over the state subsidised refugees). Going back to Northern Scandinavia in abt 5 weeks time, and looking forward to it
"Capital- and tradinggains are taxed with 0,8% of the amount invested." I never read abt this, I thought cap gains ware taxed at 30% or very near, do you mean there is a 20% rebate on the profits ? Or ?