Originally Posted by
AA_EXP09
HK has universal health care (unlike the USA) and has salaries tax with highest rate of 17%. They also do not tax foreign income nor capital gains unlike the backwards West. Did I mention that they also have a SURPLUS unlike the West?
They also have roads often in better condition, more comprehensive public transportation, and Western benefits like dole money when you are unemployed and below an asset limit.
(and yes I am comparing to other world class cities like San Francisco, NY, and London.)
HK has no real national defense or military, no space program, etc. In terms of western countries, it's more like Monaco which AFAIK has no income tax, provides national health care, various welfare programs, close to free education (using the French university system), and seems to have very few poor citizens. Their roads are pretty good, the streets are clean, etc. It's helpful to be a small but prosperous city state, especially if defense etc. is taken care of by a larger neighbor. [Of course Monaco gets lots of money from its casino and related tourism. The analogue for Hong Kong is probably trade/shipping and financial services.]