Look, if they had you pay 40% you'd only make 18k more per year on every 100k over the limit. Yes, that's a significant number, but it's not life-changing either.

Will that change your motivation? Are you demotivated because you earn 18k less than what you could earn in a more liberal country? I don't think so!

You're not pissed about the actual numbers, you're pissed because of the principles...