Comment by kacesensitive

You're right that "progressive" technically refers to how tax burdens increase with income, and by that measure, the U.S. looks progressive because high earners pay a large share. But that doesn’t mean the system is actually effective at reducing inequality.

What matters is outcomes, and the U.S. system—compared to other developed nations—does far less to redistribute wealth or fund robust public services. Other countries raise more revenue overall (often through broader-based taxes like VAT), and they spend it more equitably. So yes, technically progressive—but practically insufficient.