Socialism and redistribution of wealth trough a Welfare system is not compatible with your idea that individualistic cultures think that the rich deserve their wealth. To me this idea is typically that of Traditional (collectivist?) cultures with separate class of people. In those societies (typically the caste system in India) the fact that some people have wealth because of the birth and not their achievments is unquestioned.
I don't see at all why it is incompatible. The welfare state only aims at providing free or cheap education, health care, pensions and perhaps also unemployment insurance (the dole). It doesn't want everybody to have the same wealth level. That would be communism, which is an entirely different thing. As you can see by yourself, anybody in northern and western Europe is free to try to make as much money as they want. I also don't see why you should want to penalise inheritance of money. A lot of people work hard to provide for their children or grandchildren. It would be a totally unfair and totalitarian regime one that would want to suppress the right to donate or inherit money the way we want. I believe that the majority of Europeans would agree that people should have the right to do whatever they want with their money, and make as much money as they deem necessary through hard work. Socialism is only about providing the minimum necessary to everyone. After that, it's always up to individuals. And this is why socialism works so well in individualistic societies (and generally fails in clannish collectivist ones).
This system could very well apply to our western societies if we didn't have sufficient inheritance taxes. But the trend among conservative governments (Bush, Berlusconi...) is to lower those taxes. Thus, conservative governments contribute to link wealth with birth (like in traditional/collectivist societies) rather than personal achievment.
I don't see where you are going with that. Lowering taxes is especially good for big earners and companies, and reduces the amount available for redistribution. Why are you bothered about people inheriting money ? It doesn't harm the common good.
That kind of collectivism tend to prevail in relgious countries.
There is some correlation.
Welfare state is alo strong in the Netherland and France which are also melting pot societies.
Germany is heading toward a melting pot society because of its huge demand in imigration due to current German demography.
France is an exception, but otherwise most northern European countries were not melting pot societies until a few decades ago. The welfare system was established before that. Now it is experiencing problems because the conditions have changed.
This why Northern Africans immigrants are called "profiteurs" by National Front voters.
I am pretty sure it's not just the Front National voters...