Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
high taxes?” Without missing a beat, he replied, “Well, what's it worth to live
in a society where there is no homelessness, no hunger, and where everybody
enjoys equal access to quality healthcare and education?”
h e benei ts are everywhere. A Slovenian friend of mine who had a
baby was guaranteed a year's maternity leave at near-full pay...and was given
a state-subsidized “starter kit” with all the essential gear she needed to care for
her newborn. If anyone (even a foreign traveler) goes to a public hospital for
urgent care in Europe, they often won't even see the bill. Higher education in
Europe is subsidized. In many countries, it's entirely free, and students even get
“pocket money” while they are learning. Hundreds of thousands of students
and professors have traveled to other EU countries to study, teach, and build
a sprawling network of intra-European relations through the EU-funded
Erasmus Program.
Don't get me wrong.
Most Europeans grum-
ble about paying sky-
high taxes as much as
anyone, and tax evasion
is a national pastime for
many. But philosophi-
cally, they understand
that when it comes to
taxes, the necessity out-
weighs the evil. European
politicians don't have to
promise tax cuts to win
elections. As of this writ-
ing, the president of Finland, Tarja Kaarina, was well into her second six-year
term leading one of the most highly taxed countries in Europe, and she had
about a 75 percent approval rating. Like many Europeans, Finns support high
taxes and big government because they like what they get in return.
A l ipside of this system is that Europe doesn't have the ethic of indi-
vidual charitable giving that we have in the US. We go to auctions and bake
sales to support a good cause. We help our children raise money to subsidize
school projects. Our local orchestras wouldn't exist without i nancial gifts
from donors committed to that slice of culture. And public television is only
possible with generous support from viewers like you. You don't see that so
Olle and Maria pay high taxes with high expectations…
high in the Alps.
