Thursday, November 20, 2008

Links - Nov 20

Also see Offshore Watch and TJN's historical news archive.

International Finance and Growth in Developing Countries: What Have We Learned?
Commission on Growth and Development(2008) - Despite an abundance of cross‐section, panel, and event studies, there is strikingly little convincing documentation of direct positive impacts of financial opening on the economic welfare levels or growth rates of developing countries.

What's wrong with the TaxPayers' Alliance?
The TaxPayers' Alliance is a tremendously successful campaign group. Barely a day goes by without Chief Executive Matthew Elliott appearing in the media, representing the views of "ordinary taxpayers". It boasts an average 13 media appearances a day and puts the links on its website. But it isn't an alliance of ordinary taxpayers at all. It is an alliance of right-wing ideologues.

Pakistan seeks crackdown on tax evasion
Only about 1 per cent of Pakistan’s population of more than 165m pay income tax, while the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio of about 10 per cent is the lowest in south Asia.

US may count more countries as tax havens
Nov 19 (Accountancy Magazine) - President-elect Barack Obama is likely to add three countries to the list of usual suspects in any clampdown on tax havens: Hong Kong, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

PIPSC: Has Canada Become a Tax Haven for Large Corporations?
Nov 18 (Market Wire) - "Canadians are aware that the Canadian government is facing a funding squeeze, but most Canadians are unaware that their government is not assuming its responsibility to ensure large corporations are paying their fair share of taxes" comments PIPSC President Michele Demers. By not properly taxing large corporations, our individual tax burden is increased.

Finnish finance minister says to tackle income tax evasion
Nov 17 (finland.fi) - "I by no means look kindly upon the increasing prevalence in Finland of the impression that people engaged in perfectly normal paid employment may render their earned income into unearned income that is taxed less," Mr Katainen said.

Quote of the day:
I cannot comprehend how we have got to the point where nation states have so profoundly trivialised tax evasion.
Bertrand Bertossa, crime-fighting Swiss magistrate, 2002

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