I live in the US, an individualist, self-sufficient and independent paradise. While we pay a lower headline tax rate, effectively we’re not paying much less when you factor in services that you’d receive in Denmark that we don’t receive here and have to deal with individually, independently and self-sufficiently (losing out on the economies of scale countries like Denmark get by charging everyone for these services, and providing them to everyone). Healthcare is incredibly expensive here - even if you’re relatively young and healthy, the one or two times a year you need it really punches you in the face. You also need a car, which most people in Europe don’t need because public transportation is good. There are labor protections, meaning you can’t be fired if you call in sick, or because your boss is having a bad day, or because it’s Tuesday. You can at least somewhat plan your life and start a family.
For me specifically, given the job I have, the industry I’m in and the unusually safe location where I live, my quality of life is an 8 out of 10 (for the moment, I’m a career lottery winner). The problem is there’s approximately zero security in it, and as a result, I can’t plan my life. I’ll never have kids–it’s too financially risky, and because childcare isn’t subsidized, they’re unaffordable. If I get sick, I’m fired. Then I lose my healthcare and I’m bankrupt and homeless a few months later. This is not an exaggeration–it happens all the time. There is no floor underneath how far you can fall here.
The US is a great place to come if you’re young and healthy to make money, but it’s no place to live or start a family long term. Having visited Denmark, I think many Americans would gladly trade your higher tax rates for the stability, predictability and generally higher quality of life there.
As I outlined to another person who said the same thing - the US has higher salaries for some things (tech yes, restaurant workers, no), but higher costs for most things.