There is a very complex answer to the UK politicians passing tax laws in the UK, as there is a lot of wheeling and dealing in the house of Parliament (which is why it’s called the House of Comedians !)- Not to mention the party whip- it takes a brave independent MP to stand up to them. And in recent years as the council tax has increased forcing companies to either move to cheaper out-of –town sites or close down and get items/goods imported from abroad- the greedy EU didn’t help much either - it’s a wonder anybody can make a profit, which is the whole process of shareholders investing their money in a company!
Amazon UK tax bill the lowest in five years despite profit surge
- Thread starter Bernhard
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And his church has investments in Amazon and also advises their parishes to employ people on 'no hours' contracts, the very things he slammed.
Three days after the Archbishop of Canterbury makes the evil zero hours contracts, Gloucester cathedral advertise a couple of zero hours jobs!
http://www.gloucestercathedral.org....ies/cathedral-porter--zero-hours-contract.php
http://www.gloucestercathedral.org....ies/cathedral-porter--zero-hours-contract.php
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The former industrial economies of the West have shifted to service, tech and financialization.
The reasons are multiple but they boil down to the fact that heavy industry can't run from taxes, regulation, and unionization while service, tech, and finance can run.
If you can run, if you can move, then you are a difficult target for a shakedown and that means that you can afford to take the risk of siting your business close to your customers.
If you can't run, if you have to sink roots, have to invest in hard immovable assets - plant and equipment - then you are a dumb ass to site your business anywhere but offshore.
There are exceptions to the above, of course. For instance, subsidies or protective tariffs, or tax exceptions/deferrals, can entice. Or, you can be too big to fail, or so big as to be able to buy protection, or co-opt labor (or some other interest group) and enlist its help in political pleas for favorable treatment.
The reasons are multiple but they boil down to the fact that heavy industry can't run from taxes, regulation, and unionization while service, tech, and finance can run.
If you can run, if you can move, then you are a difficult target for a shakedown and that means that you can afford to take the risk of siting your business close to your customers.
If you can't run, if you have to sink roots, have to invest in hard immovable assets - plant and equipment - then you are a dumb ass to site your business anywhere but offshore.
There are exceptions to the above, of course. For instance, subsidies or protective tariffs, or tax exceptions/deferrals, can entice. Or, you can be too big to fail, or so big as to be able to buy protection, or co-opt labor (or some other interest group) and enlist its help in political pleas for favorable treatment.
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- 14,004
In a consumption-based economy, wealth is created by adding value to a product or service. How much wealth does money-shuffling create ? In Australia, our exports are mainly farm produce and minerals, to which we don't usually add value. So I cannot see what our economy is really based upon, except for the money which immigrants and tourists bring into the country.