Regarding fiscal pressure...
Keith Devins says that France is a socialist country because we have some laws he doesn't grok and some high tax rate figures... Well, on this basis I would say that the USA are an oiligarchy, and it's not much better. Regarding the high tax rates, USA are taxed mainly on the capital, and France on the labour, that's perhaps why they are true capitalist 
Last thing, OECD did a survey of fiscal pressure with redistribution taken in account. The results (figures date from 2000, sorry, I can't find a link, this data come from a printed source):
| Country | Net fiscal pressure on individuals |
|---|---|
| France | 15% |
| UK | 17% |
| USA | 18% |
| Germany | 21% |
| The Netherlands | 24% |
| Sweden | 26% |
(Regional news, 2003/01/11 09:40) lien permanent
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