income difference

[bigeater]

How big is the difference in income between sweden and USA?
Let´s say for professions like lawyer, construction worker/industrial worker and ambulance driver etc.

[Logan13]

How big is the difference in income between sweden and USA?
Let´s say for professions like lawyer, construction worker/industrial worker and ambulance driver etc.

Interesting article.
How the Welfare State Corrupted Sweden
By Per Bylund (Per Bylund works as a business consultant in Sweden.)
http://www.mises.org/story/2190

[crash187ct]

you movin over here or something?

[eliteforce]

The difference is European countries have a way higher standard of living, especially when you cancell out the 1% of the US population that are super-rich

[RA]

The difference is European countries have a way higher standard of living, especially when you cancell out the 1% of the US population that are super-rich

According to who?

[bigeater]

you movin over here or something?

I don´t know if I´m going to move to USA sometime in the future. I just wondered how much more money you make in USA compared to Sweden.

[Kärnfysikern]

Acctualy there is quite a bit of difference. Its often said that its easy to live well in sweden. But its very hard to get rich. Very high salaries are almost unheard of.

Someone that works like a doc, lawyer, professor ect earns around 50 000 swedish kronor every month and that is roughly 7200-7300 usd. Thats the highest you get in income here unless you take into account the ceo's of the big companies that offcourse earn millions every year.

Someone that swipes the floors, work in a store, or work as a nurse earn around 18 000 swedish kronor. Thats like 2500 usd.

A avarage worker in industries get a bit more. Maby 22 000- 24 000. Thats like 3400 usd.

[Kärnfysikern]

I dont know what similar positions earn in the states? I would not be suprised if a doc or professor earn twice as much over there.

[Prada]

Its one thing to make more money and its another for cost of living. If you have a good education and are competent I dont see where else in the world you could make more money, "net income". Revenues-expenses

[Phreak101]

Acctualy there is quite a bit of difference. Its often said that its easy to live well in sweden. But its very hard to get rich. Very high salaries are almost unheard of.

Someone that works like a doc, lawyer, professor ect earns around 50 000 swedish kronor every month and that is roughly 7200-7300 usd. Thats the highest you get in income here unless you take into account the ceo's of the big companies that offcourse earn millions every year.

Someone that swipes the floors, work in a store, or work as a nurse earn around 18 000 swedish kronor. Thats like 2500 usd.

A avarage worker in industries get a bit more. Maby 22 000- 24 000. Thats like 3400 usd.

That's a good all around distribution of wealth, I like that to a point.

Here in the states, standard docs can make about $85,000 a year, while specialists can pull up to $300,000 USD a year (cariologists, brain surgeons, etc)

Someone that wipes the floors makes minimum wage, probably makes (with new minimum wage law) around 18-20,000 USD a year
the average meadian income for the states is roughly 38-40,000 USD a year. Our civil servants are well taken care of (inner city teachers could use a pay hike), overall I think the spread between the rich and poor is MUCH bigger here than in Sweden, but getting rich in America can be done by anyone. You just need will, determination, and good credit

[RA]

My sister is an anastesiologist and makes around $400,000/ year

Lawyers, depending on how much exposure, what kind of firm, and who they defend can make millions

[Kärnfysikern]

Interesting article.
How the Welfare State Corrupted Sweden
By Per Bylund (Per Bylund works as a business consultant in Sweden.)
http://www.mises.org/story/2190

I can agree with some of his points. But he is exagerating things far to much. But then again he is a anarchist.

The fact that he even seems to opose free education speaks volumes. I dont se how any sane man can be against free education.

His homepage seems interesting though. Good find

[ecivon]

My sister is an anastesiologist and makes around $400,000/ year

Lawyers, depending on how much exposure, what kind of firm, and who they defend can make millions

Anesthesiologists earn about the highest non-surgical income as doctors. They are very well paid and followed by radiologists. Surgeons make the most with some raking in multiple millions per year. My cousin is a heart surgeon and must make a lot of money to live how he lives. He doesn't say and I don't ask -- I don't care.

I just saw an article where Bill Gates' wealth is greater than the combined GNP of the bottom 45 percent of all countries. In the US 2% of the population own 85% of the value of all stocks on the NYSE. 1% own 35% of all private wealth, 20% hold 85% and 80% of the entire population hold a scant 15%. In financial wealth that 1% of the wealthiest hold 40% of the wealth. In terms of disposable/saveable/investible income 90% of the population have nothing to hold onto paycheck to paycheck. The biggest disparity and travesty is what proportion of income is paid in taxes by the 90% of the population compared to the top 10% who control 85% of the total wealth and income in the U.S./economy. These figures were based on data for 2001 and don't reflect the substantial tax breaks/advantages Bush gave to the wealthy.

I don't give a crap what a rich person makes, or has, but why should I have to pay a disprotionately higher amount of my income to taxes than they do?

[RA]

Anesthesiologists earn about the highest non-surgical income as doctors. They are very well paid and followed by radiologists. Surgeons make the most with some raking in multiple millions per year. My cousin is a heart surgeon and must make a lot of money to live how he lives. He doesn't say and I don't ask -- I don't care.

I just saw an article where Bill Gates' wealth is greater than the combined GNP of the bottom 45 percent of all countries. In the US 2% of the population own 85% of the value of all stocks on the NYSE. 1% own 35% of all private wealth, 20% hold 85% and 80% of the entire population hold a scant 15%. In financial wealth that 1% of the wealthiest hold 40% of the wealth. In terms of disposable/saveable/investible income 90% of the population have nothing to hold onto paycheck to paycheck. The biggest disparity and travesty is what proportion of income is paid in taxes by the 90% of the population compared to the top 10% who control 85% of the total wealth and income in the U.S./economy. These figures were based on data for 2001 and don't reflect the substantial tax breaks/advantages Bush gave to the wealthy.

I don't give a crap what a rich person makes, or has, but why should I have to pay a disprotionately higher amount of my income to taxes than they do?

God I hate statistics...

The top 50% of wage earners pay 96.54% of the total taxes. I dont know how much you make but you probably dont pay squat in taxes.

Did you notice the nasdaq is over 12,000 because Bush gave those tax cuts? It stimulates the economy every time its tried. JFK did it, Reagan did it, now Bush. Batting 3 for 3

btw, you know how many people gates employs or how much of the stock market is tied up in his company or how many people he helps by giving his money away. I love to see people like that with the idea, drive, and determination to succeed. What other country would have the opportunity to do what he did..and remember, at one time he was poorer than you

[Logan13]

I can agree with some of his points. But he is exagerating things far to much. But then again he is a anarchist.

The fact that he even seems to opose free education speaks volumes. I dont se how any sane man can be against free education.

His homepage seems interesting though. Good find

I almost did not post this because I seen where it said that he was an anarchist. But I thought that since he was actually born and raised in Sweden, his insight could be useful.

[Logan13]

Anesthesiologists earn about the highest non-surgical income as doctors. They are very well paid and followed by radiologists. Surgeons make the most with some raking in multiple millions per year. My cousin is a heart surgeon and must make a lot of money to live how he lives. He doesn't say and I don't ask -- I don't care.

I just saw an article where Bill Gates' wealth is greater than the combined GNP of the bottom 45 percent of all countries. In the US 2% of the population own 85% of the value of all stocks on the NYSE. 1% own 35% of all private wealth, 20% hold 85% and 80% of the entire population hold a scant 15%. In financial wealth that 1% of the wealthiest hold 40% of the wealth. In terms of disposable/saveable/investible income 90% of the population have nothing to hold onto paycheck to paycheck. The biggest disparity and travesty is what proportion of income is paid in taxes by the 90% of the population compared to the top 10% who control 85% of the total wealth and income in the U.S./economy. These figures were based on data for 2001 and don't reflect the substantial tax breaks/advantages Bush gave to the wealthy.

I don't give a crap what a rich person makes, or has, but why should I have to pay a disprotionately higher amount of my income to taxes than they do?

Please research before you regurgitate this stuff. Think for yourself....

[J.S.N.]

btw, you know how many people gates employs or how much of the stock market is tied up in his company or how many people he helps by giving his money away. I love to see people like that with the idea, drive, and determination to succeed. What other country would have the opportunity to do what he did..and remember, at one time he was poorer than you

where did you get that? he was never poor, and his products are subpar.

[Phreak101]

where did you get that? he was never poor, and his products are subpar.

He and Steve Jobs were building computers out of their garage, that ain't rich. If his products are so subpar, why do 90% of home computers on EARTH use Windows?

[RA]

where did you get that? he was never poor, and his products are subpar.

I suppose you could do better. Both the computers I use run on Windows and it kicks ass. Remember life before windows? No computer would talk to another... subpar my ass

Yeah, him and his partner were poor in college.

[ecivon]

He and Steve Jobs were building computers out of their garage, that ain't rich. If his products are so subpar, why do 90% of home computers on EARTH use Windows?

Actually J.S.N. is right. Bill Gates was never poor, he was born to wealthy parents, (his father was a prominent partner in Preston, Gates and Ellis law firm and his mother was a regent at the U of Washington) and was educated at the Lakeside School -- very prestigious and expensive. And he and Steve Jobs never had a thing to do with each other and never worked together at any time.

[ecivon]

I suppose you could do better. Both the computers I use run on Windows and it kicks ass. Remember life before windows? No computer would talk to another... subpar my ass

Yeah, him and his partner were poor in college.

Where do you guys get this stuff? Bill Gates was never poor and his beginning partner in forming Microsoft was Paul Allen, a classmate at Lakeside, who also was never poor. Besides, Gates went to Harvard and Allen to Washington State University.

[Kärnfysikern]

God I hate statistics...

The top 50% of wage earners pay 96.54% of the total taxes. I dont know how much you make but you probably dont pay squat in taxes.

Did you notice the nasdaq is over 12,000 because Bush gave those tax cuts? It stimulates the economy every time its tried. JFK did it, Reagan did it, now Bush. Batting 3 for 3

btw, you know how many people gates employs or how much of the stock market is tied up in his company or how many people he helps by giving his money away. I love to see people like that with the idea, drive, and determination to succeed. What other country would have the opportunity to do what he did..and remember, at one time he was poorer than you

People like gates are truly inspirational. People that have created a fortune AND share it.

Im realy impressed by Ingvar Kamprad(founder of IKEA). Hes the fourth richest man in the world. Still he drives a 15 year old volvo and lives a very modest life. There was a documentary about him traveling around in Russia when he was going to introduce IKEA to russia and he was very strict with working conditions for all the suppliers. He personaly visited most suppliers and he always traveled by the cheapest ways.
http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/fa...varkamprad.htm

[ecivon]

God I hate statistics...

I dont know how much you make but you probably dont pay squat in taxes.

Did you notice the nasdaq is over 12,000 because Bush gave those tax cuts?

btw, you know how many people gates employs or how much of the stock market is tied up in his company or how many people he helps by giving his money away. I love to see people like that with the idea, drive, and determination to succeed. What other country would have the opportunity to do what he did..and remember, at one time he was poorer than you

I don't understand where all of this information comes from. First, how do you presume to know I don't pay anything in taxes?

Second, show me where the it says the Bush tax cut has had any bearing on the stock market. The whole idea of the Bush tax cuts was to generate jobs, not so the mega-wealthy could pad their stock portfolios and who cares how much money they have anyway. I don't. Just that they pay a disprotionately lower portion of their resources in taxes compared to the greater majority of the population with little or no disposable income. And I know how many people Microsoft employs and the value of the company. I live in Seattle and live across the lake from Gates.

Explain to me how much of the stock market is tied up in his company. How do you calculate that?

Further, Bill Gates and his father, also named Bill, both say the same thing about the disparity in taxes levied and paid and have often spoken out about it. Bill Gates has publicly said that what money/wealth he has isn't his, but actually belongs to the people and he has every intention of giving it back through philanthropy, that is the idea behind founding the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

And how do you know how poor I am, or whether I'm poor at all?

[Logan13]

double post

[Logan13]

where did you get that? he was never poor, and his products are subpar.

Oh JSN. Will you ever have anything positive to say, about anything? I hear that the new and improved Vagisil works wonders for frequent vaginal dryness.........

[Phreak101]

And he and Steve Jobs never had a thing to do with each other and never worked together at any time.

?? Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were the co-creators of the GUI (Mac and Windows), however Jobs took it and ran with it and ended up founding Apple while Gates continued to work on DOS, eventually founding MS. Why do you think everyone makes fun of Windows as being a Mac ripoff?

[Phreak101]

People like gates are truly inspirational. People that have created a fortune AND share it.

Im realy impressed by Ingvar Kamprad(founder of IKEA). Hes the fourth richest man in the world. Still he drives a 15 year old volvo and lives a very modest life. There was a documentary about him traveling around in Russia when he was going to introduce IKEA to russia and he was very strict with working conditions for all the suppliers. He personaly visited most suppliers and he always traveled by the cheapest ways.
http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/fa...varkamprad.htm

Oh those Swedes, will their divinity never end?

[ecivon]

?? Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were the co-creators of the GUI (Mac and Windows), however Jobs took it and ran with it and ended up founding Apple while Gates continued to work on DOS, eventually founding MS. Why do you think everyone makes fun of Windows as being a Mac ripoff?

Sorry Bro. Gates and Jobs never worked together. They could have been described as mortal enemies. Jobs and Gates never co-created GUI. GUI was an Apple product that they entered into an agreement to license to Microsoft for use in Windows 2.0. Gates took the GUI code and modified it to use with Windows and never honored the original license agreement, nor paid any money to Apple and Apple sued Microsoft on a number of issues.

[RA]

I don't understand where all of this information comes from. First, how do you presume to know I don't pay anything in taxes?

Second, show me where the it says the Bush tax cut has had any bearing on the stock market. The whole idea of the Bush tax cuts was to generate jobs, not so the mega-wealthy could pad their stock portfolios and who cares how much money they have anyway. I don't. Just that they pay a disprotionately lower portion of their resources in taxes compared to the greater majority of the population with little or no disposable income. And I know how many people Microsoft employs and the value of the company. I live in Seattle and live across the lake from Gates.

Explain to me how much of the stock market is tied up in his company. How do you calculate that?

Further, Bill Gates and his father, also named Bill, both say the same thing about the disparity in taxes levied and paid and have often spoken out about it. Bill Gates has publicly said that what money/wealth he has isn't his, but actually belongs to the people and he has every intention of giving it back through philanthropy, that is the idea behind founding the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

And how do you know how poor I am, or whether I'm poor at all?

Tax cuts stimulate the economy. Its just that simple. Its been proven over and over again. If the rich have more money they employ more people, expand business, and the economy goes. Even if they invest it the money is still in the private sector and other people are making money off of it.

As far as what you pay in taxes, I said I dont know how much you make..so are you in the top 50%?

[ecivon]

Tax cuts stimulate the economy. Its just that simple. Its been proven over and over again. If the rich have more money they employ more people, expand business, and the economy goes. Even if they invest it the money is still in the private sector and other people are making money off of it.

As far as what you pay in taxes, I said I dont know how much you make..so are you in the top 50%?

With all due respect Bro, it seems that tax cuts designed as incentives to reinvest in businesses and adding jobs might have been more productive in what you describe. I don't have a problem with tax cuts, just that such a large percentage went to a very small segment of the uber-rich who have so much wealth that what they gained in tax cuts they would keep to self-invest in their personal portfolios and wouldn't have trickled down by creating jobs. It just seems that the tax cuts would have had a better impact if they were tied to business taxes, or business performance, or adding/creating jobs. I truly could give a crap less about how much money Joe Blow has.

[Johny-too-small]

Im not going to mention what I make but my wife is in law school. The average summer internship earns $2,000 per week. Not bad for a student.

[RA]

With all due respect Bro, it seems that tax cuts designed as incentives to reinvest in businesses and adding jobs might have been more productive in what you describe. I don't have a problem with tax cuts, just that such a large percentage went to a very small segment of the uber-rich who have so much wealth that what they gained in tax cuts they would keep to self-invest in their personal portfolios and wouldn't have trickled down by creating jobs. It just seems that the tax cuts would have had a better impact if they were tied to business taxes, or business performance, or adding/creating jobs. I truly could give a crap less about how much money Joe Blow has.

I hear what your saying but it is liberal dogma. Yes, the rich benefit more from tax cuts because they pay the largest percentage of the taxes. A large percentage of the population were dropped from having to pay taxes under the Bush plan.

You have someone who earns 19k a year and pays no taxes. You have someone who earns 2,000,000 per year and pays a very large % in taxes. Who is going to benefit the most? The one who actually pays..but as I stated that tax cut now gets invested(which spurs economic growth) or it is used to purchase more goods and services or used to hire new people.

[RA]

[Johny-too-small]

I wish there was a flat tax in the US where everyone paid the same income tax (%). I think its very unfair that I bust my a$$ off, take major economical risks, get a higher education only to turn around and give 50% of what I make to Uncle Sam. At the same time, some guy that got a job from a guy like me, with no risk, keeps the majority of what he makes. I am not a conservative or a liberal, I vote as an independent, just so you know.

[biglouie250]

I wish there was a flat tax in the US where everyone paid the same income tax (%). I think its very unfair that I bust my a$$ off, take major economical risks, get a higher education only to turn around and give 50% of what I make to Uncle Sam. At the same time, some guy that got a job from a guy like with no risk keeps the majority of what he makes. I am not a conservative or a liberal, I vote as an independent, just so you know.

even if there was a flat tax youd pay more tax then the poor.

[RA]

even if there was a flat tax youd pay more tax then the poor.

Yeah but he would pay less than he does now..and people would be screaming..TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH!!

He makes a great point. You bust your ass and risk everything and our tax system punishes you for it.

[Johny-too-small]

even if there was a flat tax youd pay more tax then the poor.

At least it would be fair.

[biglouie250]

Yeah but he would pay less than he does now..and people would be screaming..TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH!!

He makes a great point. You bust your ass and risk everything and our tax system punishes you for it.

take full advantage of the tax credits and deductions allowed and it will be more equal then you think. i did many tax returns last year for people with income over $200,000 and their effective tax rate was about 14%.

[ecivon]

Yeah but he would pay less than he does now..and people would be screaming..TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH!!

He makes a great point. You bust your ass and risk everything and our tax system punishes you for it.

What do you find difficult to understand? You throw out pie charts to defend the wealthy by showing the percentage of who pays what in taxes. That's how you define fair? Put up pie charts to show how much of what they pay in taxes is a percentage of their wealth and disposable income -- that reflects fairness. In comparison they pay squat in taxes. It isn't the poor that gets the greatest burden, it is the middle class when it comes to shouldering a greater burden.

[RA]

What do you find difficult to understand? You throw out pie charts to defend the wealthy by showing the percentage of who pays what in taxes. That's how you define fair? Put up pie charts to show how much of what they pay in taxes is a percentage of their wealth and disposable income -- that reflects fairness. In comparison they pay squat in taxes. It isn't the poor that gets the greatest burden, it is the middle class when it comes to shouldering a greater burden.

Its you who doesnt understand. They earned that money and no one else has any "right" to it. Yes, they already have the biggest burden. They shouldnt have to pay more because your jealous.