College

Of course you'll pay it back 10 times over though out the course of your life in taxes, unless you move which would be a real dick move.

Well if you look at things like healthcare, education costs, taxes and disposable income it gets really messed up.
In Usa and Denmark if you work similar middle class job after college (lets say one of office drone jobs) after young american pays his health insurance and student loan and tax, and young Dane pays much larger tax, Dane ends up with nearly 35% more disposable income.

It's economics at its finest. Regardless of whether its through taxes or not it all needs to get paid for, so each has its advantages. If you look at the USA and our system,s it's very much based on how much you can pay that determines your level of care. True we have some of the best colleges and make the most medical advances each year, but our public school system is in the shitter. There's a huge gap based on our level of wealth, a gap that leaves many striving for something they can't achieve...I feel like that probably doesn't happen as much in Denmark and I respect your system for it.

On the 35% more disposable income, you've also got to factor that here we pay a very low, if any tax on our consumer goods (0-8%). Is there a sales tax in Denmark or is it factored in the price?

Finally a topic I know something about!

Sales taxes (VAT) in Denmark is, unlike a lot of countries, the same on all products (food, clothes etc.). It's currently at 25%, which is one of the highest in the world. In addition to that, we pay - as a minimum - 40% tax on personal income. Add to that another 8% special tax. That means everybody pays at least 48% taxes. Unlike America (I think), the more you get paid, the more you pay in taxes. The maximum is currently at 65%, which you have to pay if you earn more than ca. 80.000 USD a year.

If you want to buy a car, you have to pay the price of the car - and another 180% of the value. Plus the VAT. A total of 205% taxes on the car...

Tl;Dr: So yeah, everything is "free" in Denmark. It just means we pay allot of other shit instead!

So in the end you get what you pay for, it all balances out in the end...cool. Thanks for the info!

You'd never guess by our usernames we'd ever talk about anything productive...

It's obviously not the same on all products, since some products are given extra taxes, such as tobacco, alcohol and products with a high amount of fat.

What i'm talking about is the VAT (moms). Many countries have different values on the products - 11% on food and 20% on consumer goods. We have the same percentage on all products, no matter what they are. And as you correctly stated, we also add other taxes on top on that'; alcohol, tobacco etc

The taxes on products with high amounts of fat, are beign removed. (just a side note)

Second, yes it is the same on all goods, the extra taxes on cigarettes for instance, is not in the same catagori. :)

It doesn't matter if they're in the same category, my point is that you still have to pay more for some products, since they're taxed more. And the fat tax may be removed by the currenct government, but they'll come right back in when a more liberal government takes over.

I just wanted to clear some things up, not saying your point was unjustified.
And no the fat tax wont come back, it was put in place by our current goverment, and the liberal side, never wanted it.
Besides the main reason its removed is because they finally realised it dosent work, because fat is not what makes people obese.. but thats a whooole other discussen :)

We do pay higher taxes on consumer goods. More than most of Europe as far as I know.

if im not much mistaken, we pay the highest taxes in the world

It's not that I really care or anything or feel like getting into a boring debate about this, but I just want to point out that the taxes you pay are included in so many things that you will barely notice it. Also, it happens over a greater amount of time, which makes it impact you even less. You don't have to pay for expensive things, surgeries and so on.

See, you're OP in both Medieval 2: Total War and in real life.

MFW something Total War related AND funny as fuck!

Fuckin' Danes, always conquering all of Europe...

America historically was based on as little government as possible - that included some amount of social security. It wasn't until social security reforms in the 1900's that America even bothered with it at all, to be honest. The idea of private institutions doing just about everything in America is still prevalent today, as the American government itself is wholly incapable of doing anything useful itself (take the USPS). Our Social Security system is all backwards. It would be nice if it promoted success in the population, not laziness and incompetence.

TL;DR: America's Social Security System sucks because of the country's history of not really caring about social security until relatively recently. On the bright side, we don't pay a ridiculous amount on commodities (I mean 100% tax on some things is ridiculous).

The kind of economy works in small countries like Denmark, but the USA is too large for government aid in college. But seriously I kinda wish I went to college in another country just because I'm in a large amount of debt as it is.

Yes and no.
If education was relegated to states, with Fed providing ASSISTANCE and setting up only minimum guidelines then it could be done.
Atleast in some states.
then states that have it free would get influx of ambitious young people, especially if free education states that you have to STAY in the state for a while after finishing education, so all this ambitious young people drawn to your state would help the economy.
But yeah, feds giving up some power is a pipedream.

You also have to consider the constituents of reps and senators, a lot of older people would not favor having subsidies for college students.

True, so some states would have free higher education, some wouldn't. Some would make a mix of it, making some professions free (as determined with what state needs) and others people could study with paying. If there is too few doctors, students of medicine study for free. If there is no demand for experts of early 17 century french poetry, then you pay for it yourself.
Those states with subsidized education would get an influx of young inteligent, ambitious people, kind of people that build and benefit economy.
States that don't have it would lag behind economically. And would have to change.
People with high education and skills are worth far more to economy then what it costs to educate them. Education is great investment.

But still most people wont want a subsidy, that goes for every state.

I disagree, Cali, Mass, New York just for example have huge support for subsidies.
I agree that support would get mighty low south of mason-dixon line, but economic results talk very loudly. It would change.

Thats the same as Scotland.
The Tories tried to take away our free funding, they got told to fuck off, they took it out on the English students by raising their fees.

free education is sustainable.. An educated person is worth much more than the cost to educate him.

Wrong, a highly educated populace results in an highly efficient and prosperous economy.

Also; I tried to thumb you down, but apparently I've thumbed you down too much in the last hour or so.

it was funny my soc. teacher was all like "SOCIOLOGY MAJORS EARN MORE THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF MAJORwith an arts degreeIN THEIR ADULT LIVES!

**dirrrtjump rolled a random image posted in comment #327455 at Anime & Manga ** nice one, bud.

ew, o shit. never rolling again.

Why do people thump shit like this up?
Its not related and its not funny.

I have no fucking idea man. No fucking idea.

To Norway!

its the american way, everyone has an equal opportunity for education and blah blah blah... i think its stupid as fuck because people in general are good at doing different things than others. Like me, i am good at art and i like doing that so why the fuck am i studying chemistry? In my opinion that shouldnt be a core subject.

Personally i chose the easiest classes for my electives in highschool so my GPA is top fucking percent. Thats basicly the trick to getting into collage.

a well rounded education is useful if you embrace it.

Exactly. Let go of your restraint and FEEL the anger within you grow!! Cookie?