It does not make any sense to label countries "socialist" or otherwise based only on the progressivity of income taxes. Even when all taxes are considered, US happens to be the most progressive of all OECD countries (Nordic countries are downright regressive). Nevertheless, the inequality is among the highest in the US and the quality of life is lower than in the Nordic countries.
As to why this is so so is the question that two Northwestern sociologists address. It is tragic that the economists were far too busy with their regressions to study this economic question, and the sociologists had to step in to fill the void. As Monica Prasad and Yingying Deng concluded, the progressivity of taxes in the US has undermined redistributive agenda: since the rich are paying higher taxes doing their share anyway, why redistribute income to those below through transfer payments? The recent criticisms of transfer payments by rightwing politicians is a symptom of this.
While the Nordic countries have made huge transfer payments to make the society egalitarian, we have accentuated inequality by starving legitimate investments (infrastructure for example) and transfer payments. Perhaps these Nordic countries have listened to Milton Friedman more carefully than us in the USA.
Nordic countries have a dual tax system where income taxes are progressive but taxes on income from capital are low and flat.
The above studies suggest, by your yardstick that we are far more socialist than the Nordic countries.
You can find their research at:
and
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