to have such strong social programs is a broad tax base. The rich pay a more in Denmark than they do in the US, but the middle class pays a lot more.

A family with income of 400K DKK (roughly $60K) would pay ~35% in income and social taxes. A family with income of 5M DKK (roughly $750k) would pay would pay a little over 50% in taxes.

In the US, the family of 4 with $60K of income pays about 10% in taxes (payroll, federal + state) while a family with $750K of income would pay a little over 30% in taxes. So a low income family in Denmark pays taxes at ~3.5x the tax rate in the US whereas a high income family in Denmark pays taxes at 1.6-1.7x the rate in the US.

It may workout better for the lower income family to pay the higher rate but get a bunch of benefits in return (the Danes all seem pretty happy), but it IS funded by a broad tax base, not just the rich. I think you might get some push back in the US telling a family of 4 with $60K of income "you now owe more than $20K in taxes, but don't worry, look at all the benefits you're getting"