High taxation supports comprehensive national health care, education, pensions, and other social services, resulting in low levels of poverty and a relatively narrow income gap between the richest and poorest households. In the US, the poorest 20% of households receive just 5% of total income, putting their income at around one-fourth of the national average.
高税收能够为全面国家保健、教育、养老金和其他社会服务提供支助，导致贫穷水平较低以及最富裕家庭和最贫穷家庭之间收入差距相对较小。在美国，20%最贫穷家庭只领取总收入的5%，其收入占国家平均收入的四分之一。相反，北欧国家20%最贫穷家庭的收入约占总收入的10%，大约为全国平均收入水平的一半。