This is a sight for sore eyes. Argentina, a country that has suffered more than most under the scourge of predatory Swiss banking practices (not to mention the banking practices of the UK, United States and others), is making a very public stand. The head of Argentina's tax bureau, Ricardo … [Read more...]
Inequality & Tax Havens
UNCTAD: the time for tax justice has come
A press release about the latest UNCTAD Trade and Development report 2014: "Governments, from rich and poor countries alike, should be able to finance the investment and other public spending required to meet the demands of their citizens for a more prosperous and secure life. Mobilizing domestic … [Read more...]
Will the UN take serious action to stop the loss of trillions of dollars to tax abuse?
From Prof. Thomas Pogge: "Intense negotiations are going on at the United Nations about the formulation of the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the targets and indicators to be used for specification and measurement. Starting 11 September, the president of the general assembly will host … [Read more...]
Basic income: the world’s simplest plan to end poverty
From an article on Vox, explaining the concept: "Basic income" is shorthand for a range of proposals that share the idea of giving everyone in a given polity a certain amount of money on a regular basis. A basic income comes with no categorical eligibility requirements; you don't have to be blind … [Read more...]
Tax haven film world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival
We have just heard that Harold Crook's (Surviving Progress) new film, entitled The Price We Pay, is to receive its world première on 5th September 2014 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). … [Read more...]
The Spirit Level – new documentary film coming
From The Spirit Level, a tantalising trailer for a forthcoming documentary film about inequality. As they note: "The Spirit Level tells the story of how the gap between rich and poor has risen to unprecedented levels, under our noses. But does it matter? We've be interweaving stories from … [Read more...]
How developing countries can take control over their tax destinies
Krishen Mehta, a Senior Adviser to TJN, has written a short document with ten pointers offering ways that developing countries can take control over their tax destinies. We reproduce the introduction of his article below: please click on the full article for the ten points. We hope to produce more … [Read more...]
Kansas/Missouri: local ceasefire in U.S. tax border war?
Last year the St. Louis Post-Despatch published an editorial entitled Missouri Senate declares class war against citizens, looking at tax subsidies being showered on businesses in an effort to lure them away from neighbouring Kansas - which, in turn, has been showering subsidies on businesses to … [Read more...]
Over 95% of Britons want a more progressive tax system
From The Equality Trust, in a report on the United Kingdom: "Public support for a more progressive tax system is high. Over eight in ten (82%) believe that households in the highest 10% income group should pay a greater proportion of their income in tax than those in the bottom 10%. An even … [Read more...]
The Impacts of Illicit Financial Flows on Peace and Security in Africa
From Alex Cobham of the Center for Global Development, a paper for the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa 2014. It's called, as our title suggests, The Impacts of Illicit Financial Flows on Peace and Security in Africa. Published in April, it's an important contribution to the … [Read more...]
Army of angels needed: a Rabbi’s view on tax dodging
From the Daily Journal, an article by Rabbi Menachem Creditor in the U.S.: "I recently returned from Washington, D.C., where I joined the interfaith, bipartisan anti-poverty group Jubilee USA and other faith leaders and small-business owners from across the country to encourage our elected … [Read more...]
London march: Join the new Tax Dodgers’ Alliance
From UK Uncut, a march planned for this Saturday (June 21): Come and join the newly formed 'Tax Dodgers Alliance'. Big businesses and the super wealthy are welcome. Bankers, lawyers, CEOs, new money, old money... What do we have in common? We're stinking rich & we don't want to share - our cash … [Read more...]
Islands (or how to play dirty and get away with it)
We are delighted to be associated with a new play by award-winning Caroline Horton called Islands (or how to play dirty and get away with it). In Caroline's words: "Islands will be an illuminating, absurd and powerful new show about tax havens, little empires, enormous greed and the few who … [Read more...]
Stiglitz: how to use tax to build an economy
Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz has just published a White Paper with the Roosevelt Institute entitled Reforming Taxation to Promote Growth and Equity. It is a fascinating and clear piece of work, distilling a number of powerful tax principles - and it includes a section on formula apportionment (or … [Read more...]
The Piketty controversy and the offshore wealth problem
As many readers will already know, there's a big controversy going on regarding Prof. Thomas Piketty's world-famous economics work Capital in the 21st Century, with the Financial Times alleging that he faces a 'Reinhardt-Rogoff moment' because of data problems. Piketty responds that he's been … [Read more...]
