European culture. More progressive or just more mature?

I often hear people on the political Left cite the Euros as having a more progressive culture. 6 weeks of paid vacation for everybody, generous maternity/paternity leave benefits, gov't istance for new mothers, legal pot, universal healthcare, etc. Things that would be a hard sell in conservative middle-America, yet at the same time it's considered not big deal to pinch a woman on the ; an act that could easily land you in jail here. Child (the legal equivalent of a nuclear bomb in the States) is not considered that big a deal. It's considered pretty much normal for powerful men to have mistresses, and the naked female bod is a common advertising tool. Stuff frowned upon by the Progresive community in America. Quite the paradox! It seems even the Left in America is pretty conservative in comparison!