Tax Burden in the U.S.

Tax Burden in the U.S.

Although many Americans complain about how much they pay in taxes, the tax burden in the U.S. is low compared to European countries. The U.S. tax burden is high, however, when compared to other areas of the world.

Country
Central Government Tax Revenue as a Percentage of GDP
France
38.8%
United Kingdom
33.7%
Germany
29.4%
Brazil
19.7%
United States
19.3%
Canada
18.5%
Russia
17.4%
Pakistan
15.3%
Indonesia
14.7%
Mexico
12.8%
India
10.3%
Source: World Development Report, 1998/99.





“Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
from 1902 to 1932.