We can either have a multicultural, pluralistic society (like the US). Or we can have a homogeneous society with high levels of institutional trust and a top-heavy, authoritarian government (like those Nordic countries). But we can't have both.
Norway, Sweden, and Finland are tops in levels of trust. They also have low levels of immigration. The US, with lower levels of trust and higher levels of immigration, ranks highest in tax avoidance. It's difficult to fund universal programs when you don't trust your national government. (This isn't a call for white nationalism or smearing social assistance. It's a call for finding where trust lives; it's a call for localism.)
In Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam writes:
"If we consider state differences in social capital, per capita income, income inequality, racial composition, urbanisn, and education levels, social capital is the only factor that successfully predicts tax compliance."Social capital even predicts who fills out their census surveys.
We can either have a highly regulated economy that minimizes risk, or we can have a low cost of living. But we can't have both.
We're either a society that attracts immigrants of various ethnic backgrounds and religions from numerous countries who come here because it is the land of opportunity. Or we're a rigged system where only white men with old money can succeed. But we can't be both.
