[refurb]

Not making a judgement call on which is better (its all trade offs), but this is what Americans don’t get - all those social benefits have a cost and a good portion falls on the middle to upper middle class.

I think a lot of Americans envision finding a European style social safety net by only taxing billionaires.

[mmarq]

I think the UK managed to strike the worst possible compromise between the Europeans and the Americans. The NHS provides some basic service, but if you want a French or Italian style healthcare, you’ll end up spending thousands of pounds per year, assuming you are relatively healthy. Childcare is nonexistent, nurseries cost in the order of 1500£ per month per child. State schools are so bad that it’s normal to send your child to a private school. Unemployment benefits are offensive.

All this while everybody with a professional job faces a 40% marginal tax rate (plus NI).

[dogma1138]

I don’t think the UK has a European style safety net, they don’t tax enough people for that the first £12.5K of your income (below £100K) are income tax exempt the UK has the narrowest tax base in Europe.