The Nordic states have also worked to keep social expenditures compatible with an open, competitive, market-based economic system. Tax rates on capital are relatively low. Labor market policies pay low-skilled and otherwise difficult-to-employ individuals to work in the service sector, in key quality-of-life areas such as child care, health, and support for the elderly and disabled.

The results for the households at the bottom of the income distribution are astoundingly good, especially in contrast to...American social policy. The U.S. spends less than almost all rich countries on social services for the poor and disabled, and it gets what it pays for: the highest poverty rate among the rich countries and an exploding prison population. Actually, by shunning public spending on health, the U.S. gets much less than it pays for, because its dependence on private health care has led to a ramshackle system that yields mediocre results at very high costs.

We are proudly have highest percentage of world richest people. It's not the shame to be dirty rich, isn't it?

Hey friends, note that user Mary123, above, leaves these same words every time she writes a comment. She makes no clips. Sounds like spamlove to me!

Excellent clip! Keep saying this - for it will take a long time for some to believe it - but that is where the facts point.

Here's a corollary - taxes do not inhibit economic growth (but often result in increased across-the-board prosperity), and the author - True Conservative - also has a fascinating table in which he evaluates economic growth not by GDP per person, but by GDP per hour worked. The point is that GDP grows if everybody works 12 hour days and 7 day weeks - but who wants to live that way! As in your clip, he finds the Scandinavian countries exemplary; in this case, they grow their economies while increasing the quality of life of their people.

Here are a couple more:
Higher taxes on top 1% don't inhibit prosperity
Prosperity: GDP per person or per hour worked?
No correlation between smaller government and economic growth