"In Reply to: No, the ground is rising. posted by ER on 11/9/2008 12:42:46 PM
Hi; I have to disagree when you say that“America has always been the beacon of hope for the rest of the world precisely because it is and always was a progressive nation. All of the major reforms associated with curbs on a formerly unregulated private sector began or were developed here: trust busting, 8 hour workdays, the 40 hour week, child labor laws, union representation, worker safety and health inspections”

America was/is obviously perceived as a nation of opportunity and freedom, but not because of social welfare programs. Many reforms (most?) began in Europe. Thus, using only the UK as an example (because it is easy to pull up the data from the Web):-

1: Old age pensions were established in the UK in 1908
2; Slavery was rendered illegal in England in 1772, the sale of slaves became illegal throughout the British Empire in 1807 and their possession in 1834.
3. The Elementary Education Act was introduced in 1870. This provided basic education to all children between ages of 5 and 13 (and attendance became compulsory around 1880).
4. The UK National Health System began around about 1948- and the US is still waiting for that one. "

Yes, America has been about opportunity and freedom.
To understand progressive in terms of the State, one should look at taxes of the State.

"The first tax assessed in England was during occupation by the Roman Empire.
...
Taxes during 14th century were very progressive; The 1377 Poll tax noted that the tax on the Duke of Lancaster was 520 times the tax on the common peasant."
http://www.taxworld.org/History/TaxHistory.htm
And:
"The first income tax suggested in the United States was during the War of 1812. The tax was based on the British Tax Act of 1798 and applied progressive rates to income. The rates were .08% on income above £60 and 10 percent on income above £200. The tax was developed in 1814 but was never imposed because the treaty of Ghent was signed in 1815 ending hostilities and the need for additional revenue."
And:
"It should be noted that the Tax Act of 1864 was challenged several times. The Supreme Court unanimously supported the tax. After the war the tax was declared unconstitutional by the same court because it represented direct taxation on the citizenry which was not allowed under the constitution."

So it was only after the two world wars in Europe that the US federal govt got serious about taxing the American people.
Another aspect of this, is of course that the US means the United States. So if want to compare England one should compare it with the individual States of US, since England is just beginning to become part of the EU- and the EU isn't "first" in anything.