There are a number of inaccuracies in this video, but the biggest one is how much we spend from the oil fund in the national budget. He makes it sound like we spend the dividend from the fund, but in reality we only use about 3% of the profit! That we pay so much tax compared to other countries, especially the USA, is also a myth. Considering what we get back for our tax money, we give up less of our wages than you do. Last year I paid 22.4% tax and for this money I get free health care, including medicines, operations, treatments and hospital stays, free education for my children up to and including university, subsidized kindergarten, 1 year paid parental leave divided between mother and father, I have the right to paid sick leave or disability benefits equivalent to 66% of my income for the rest of my life if I were to become disabled. In addition, I am entitled to a public pension when I reach that age. I also have the right to a place to live if I were to lose my home. Compared to the US, you have to give up almost 45% of your income for the same things, and you're STILL not entitled to many of the things we are. You almost pay more just in health insurance per month than I pay in taxes. Average health insurance for a family of 4 in the US a couple of years ago was about $1,200. While we start our professional lives with little or no student debt, your tuition fees are insane. 1 school year at, for example, Harvard cost $107,000 two years ago. 4 years of education is therefore $428,000! It's the same as our mortgage! Sorry to say it but you are being scammed and ripped off on everything over there.
You pay a lot more tax than you think. Firstly - if you only pay 22.4% income tax, you have a rather small income. It is okay. You should not pay more because you need the money to survive. In addition to income tax, you pay 25% VAT on goods you buy (15% on food). You pay municipal taxes if you own a home, and if you rent it is included in the rent. A normal family in Norway also pays high taxes on cars, roads, fuel, alcohol and travel. In addition, there are tolls, tobacco taxes, taxes on imports, etc., etc. If you are going to compare the tax level between Norway and other countries, you must include these figures in the calculation. And yes, fees are just another word for tax. Everything is revenue for the state or municipality. Not to include them is fiddling with numbers to try to portray Norway as something other than it actually is, whether it is positive or negative. I totally understand that the taxes and fees are money we pay to get something back. I am not necessarily saying it is wrong to pay these money. All depends on if our politicians spend the money in wise ways, and how much goes into corruption. My comment is just to remind you about the reality.
taxes in Norway are only marginally higher than the US if you add cost of health insurance. In the US you must also put aside money for medical copay and school tuition for the kids. Both health and tuition in Norway is covered by the taxes. Our health, and school systems are, by the way, excellent. Our system of governance is by no means perfect, but works just fine for most ppl. I dont think our system can be, or should be, replicated by the US. From what i see in social media, there is a growing interest among americans about how other countries solves things, and that is encouraging i think. One of the mail differences between the US and Norway is the trust we have in our politicians. Americans do not trust their government or politicians, and in my humble opinion, rightly so.
This is questinable considering depending on what type of list you use and what you balance the money to be worth the same as (what year) you get Norway being a 3rd world country and you also do not. So i can say Norway was a 3rd world country until 1950 and it be one hundred percentage accurate. Compared to other European nations the living standard was very poor in the past. Indoor plumping was very late. (the last outhouse (still in daily use) in the capitol was there until 2005 if i remember correctly)) Electricity was very late. The roads was terrible and was one of the things the occupation in the war made better for norway when german engineers made them.
I worked in the oil industry in Norway. The knowledge it takes to design these refineries or rigs was learned gradually. Compare the drilling rigs used in Pennsylvania in the late 1890's to the rigs we have today and the refining of oil from shipping barrels with crude to oil pipelines conveying crude to todays refineries. The many engineers and fabricators that it takes to build these structures are experts in their own area of the oil production and refining and contribute to the whole.
We in Finland have high taxes too, but I have no complaints. We get so much in return. Virtually free healtcare, excellent education for kids, also free high quality school lunches for them, free college, university. Decent social benefits for unemployed, sick or handicapped etc. Ok I know it's not free because we pay taxes, but those taxes are used in a good way. Also the income tax is not 60% as some Americans think. Average is about 27-30% I think. Also no need to pay any sort of health insurance. Everyone gets the same quality of education or health care, no matter of their wealth. Paid vacations 30-45 days/year. Paid maternity leave two years, half pay up to three years and the employer is obligated to take the mother back to work after that. The taxes are not so bad afterall, because we don't have to worry about many things. Perfect? No. But we like it. Btw, Norway is absolutely breathtaking visually. Been there many times (on my paid vacations).
Yes, those "visual places" are common, especially on the western part of Norway.
There are a number of inaccuracies in this video, but the biggest one is how much we spend from the oil fund in the national budget. He makes it sound like we spend the dividend from the fund, but in reality we only use about 3% of the profit!
That we pay so much tax compared to other countries, especially the USA, is also a myth. Considering what we get back for our tax money, we give up less of our wages than you do. Last year I paid 22.4% tax and for this money I get free health care, including medicines, operations, treatments and hospital stays, free education for my children up to and including university, subsidized kindergarten, 1 year paid parental leave divided between mother and father, I have the right to paid sick leave or disability benefits equivalent to 66% of my income for the rest of my life if I were to become disabled. In addition, I am entitled to a public pension when I reach that age. I also have the right to a place to live if I were to lose my home.
Compared to the US, you have to give up almost 45% of your income for the same things, and you're STILL not entitled to many of the things we are.
You almost pay more just in health insurance per month than I pay in taxes. Average health insurance for a family of 4 in the US a couple of years ago was about $1,200.
While we start our professional lives with little or no student debt, your tuition fees are insane. 1 school year at, for example, Harvard cost $107,000 two years ago. 4 years of education is therefore $428,000! It's the same as our mortgage!
Sorry to say it but you are being scammed and ripped off on everything over there.
You pay a lot more tax than you think. Firstly - if you only pay 22.4% income tax, you have a rather small income. It is okay. You should not pay more because you need the money to survive. In addition to income tax, you pay 25% VAT on goods you buy (15% on food). You pay municipal taxes if you own a home, and if you rent it is included in the rent. A normal family in Norway also pays high taxes on cars, roads, fuel, alcohol and travel. In addition, there are tolls, tobacco taxes, taxes on imports, etc., etc. If you are going to compare the tax level between Norway and other countries, you must include these figures in the calculation. And yes, fees are just another word for tax. Everything is revenue for the state or municipality. Not to include them is fiddling with numbers to try to portray Norway as something other than it actually is, whether it is positive or negative.
I totally understand that the taxes and fees are money we pay to get something back. I am not necessarily saying it is wrong to pay these money. All depends on if our politicians spend the money in wise ways, and how much goes into corruption. My comment is just to remind you about the reality.
taxes in Norway are only marginally higher than the US if you add cost of health insurance. In the US you must also put aside money for medical copay and school tuition for the kids. Both health and tuition in Norway is covered by the taxes. Our health, and school systems are, by the way, excellent. Our system of governance is by no means perfect, but works just fine for most ppl. I dont think our system can be, or should be, replicated by the US. From what i see in social media, there is a growing interest among americans about how other countries solves things, and that is encouraging i think. One of the mail differences between the US and Norway is the trust we have in our politicians. Americans do not trust their government or politicians, and in my humble opinion, rightly so.
Compared to other european nations, Norway was never poor.
This is questinable considering depending on what type of list you use and what you balance the money to be worth the same as (what year)
you get Norway being a 3rd world country and you also do not.
So i can say Norway was a 3rd world country until 1950 and it be one hundred percentage accurate.
Compared to other European nations the living standard was very poor in the past.
Indoor plumping was very late. (the last outhouse (still in daily use) in the capitol was there until 2005 if i remember correctly))
Electricity was very late.
The roads was terrible and was one of the things the occupation in the war made better for norway when german engineers made them.
I worked in the oil industry in Norway. The knowledge it takes to design these refineries or rigs was learned gradually. Compare the drilling rigs used in Pennsylvania in the late 1890's to the rigs we have today and the refining of oil from shipping barrels with crude to oil pipelines conveying crude to todays refineries. The many engineers and fabricators that it takes to build these structures are experts in their own area of the oil production and refining and contribute to the whole.
Here's a good video about Norway for your reaction. Top 25 Places To Visit in Norway:
ua-cam.com/video/fT2bqB0f_4w/v-deo.html
9:50 it is very common
We in Finland have high taxes too, but I have no complaints. We get so much in return. Virtually free healtcare, excellent education for kids, also free high quality school lunches for them, free college, university. Decent social benefits for unemployed, sick or handicapped etc.
Ok I know it's not free because we pay taxes, but those taxes are used in a good way.
Also the income tax is not 60% as some Americans think. Average is about 27-30% I think. Also no need to pay any sort of health insurance.
Everyone gets the same quality of education or health care, no matter of their wealth.
Paid vacations 30-45 days/year. Paid maternity leave two years, half pay up to three years and the employer is obligated to take the mother back to work after that.
The taxes are not so bad afterall, because we don't have to worry about many things. Perfect? No. But we like it.
Btw, Norway is absolutely breathtaking visually. Been there many times (on my paid vacations).
Petro companies pay a special petro tax of 50% in addition to the regular 28% corporate tax.
What are Americans willing to spend tax money on?
me myself and I,,,, yehhhh USA USa,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,