I lived there for ten years. I ran businesses, paid taxes, and even filed taxes for the companies I ran. It is not misinformation. What is misinformation is Americans claiming that they know about what is going on in countries they have never lived in.
The VAT isn't 25% on everything. 6% is on books, magazines and newspapers, culture evens, national transport. 12% on food, restaurants, hotel and artwork sold by the artist.
https://www.verksamt.se/starta/skatter-och-avgifter/moms/oli...
Effective income tax isn't as high as the picture you paint. http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/09/effective-...