Sweden has some of the world's highest taxes, so why is the taxman so popular with the Swedes?

Sweden is infamous for having some of the highest taxes in the world, and yet the country’s tax agency is still one of Sweden’s most trusted institutions.

The Swedish attitude towards tax contrasts sharply with many countries where taxes can be a deeply divisive issue. We investigate what this says about Swedish society and how the popularity of the welfare state might survive growing challenges in the future.

  • catloafEnglish
    152·
    7 months ago

    Tell that to the native Sami peoples.

    • NoMoreCocaine@lemmy.worldEnglish
      73·
      7 months ago

      While your point remains somewhat valid, it’s not actually valid to say “native” in the same sense as “native Americans”.

      There were a whole bunch of tribes in the area. Some were more influenced by Europe (swedes, Norwegians) and some less (Finns, Estonian, Sami). Surprise to no one, these tribes living in the southern regions were more successful (easier weather), so they expanded northward and thus rolled over the semi-nomadic Sami in a very nasty, but extremely historically common human way.

      • barsoapEnglish
        4·
        7 months ago

        it’s not actually valid to say “native” in the same sense as “native Americans”.

        It actually is, it’s just that Swedes are just as native as Sami. Which is why usually we’re talking about autochthone minorities in Europe (or some similar term), and if you see a European unironically using terms like “BIPOC” you can be sure they haven’t used their brain in a while because the “I” in that abbreviation is literally the overwhelming majority of the population.