You pay higher taxes and in return the state takes care of you from cradle to grave. This was the promise that brought welfare states into existence across the world in the 20th century. But do high-tax welfare states really offer good value for money? In this groundbreaking new book Stefan Fölster and Dr Nima Sanandaji present a powerful and controversial argument: that ever more tax and spend might not actually lead to higher social welfare. Based on thorough research and data from dozens of countries this book demonstrates that in everything from education to life expectancy, from hospital beds to unemployment it is low-tax countries like Switzerland and Japan that now offer their citizens the world’s best welfare. Meanwhile, high-tax countries – including the authors’ native Sweden – have steadily slipped down international league tables. This book takes a measured and evidence-based approach, rooted in real world data rather than well-meaning theories or utopian visions. Sanandaji and Fölster find that all too often high-tax countries treat the symptoms of poverty without addressing the underlying causes, leaving problems to fester and inefficiencies to multiply. This is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand the role and limits of the state in the 21st century.