Perhaps the most troubling consequence of the neoliberal counter-revolution – the tax cuts, the austerity, the inequality – is that it has stunted the political imagination and undermined our sense of what’s possible. Recent Ekos research found that many Canadians are losing trust in the future, in the idea of progress, in our ability to tackle our big challenges, climate change, inequality, aboriginal justice, eroding democracy.
– Alex Himelfarb, director emeritus of the Glendon School of Public Policy
Read the full article on our friend’s site @ Canadians for Tax Fairness
2 Comments
Yes, big corporations should pay their fair share. No doubt about that.
But:
– Greece’s debt has very little to do with Apple and Starbucks not paying their fair share of taxes; corruption, lack of control, mismanagement of public funds… are the main reasons for such a big burden.
– Taxes paid by Apple, Starbucks & Co should not be used to fatten pensions of civil servants. This would only deepen the gap between private and public workers. I used to be a civil servant before resigning; I know quite well how many people use their sick days to the brim and abuse their advantages. Digging further in public workers’ benefit will only bring one thing: enemity from private workers.
That said, I found the documentary very interesting, though a bit biased. I hope it’ll finally trigger a response from the international community.
All the best.
Hi Steve
Sick days and brimming aside, here is a Thomas Piketty review of a new book by one of his inequality research mentors, Anthony Atkinson, making the point that one cannot underestimate the importance of tax progressivity in sustaining major social innovations of the 20th century: the middle class and social security.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2015/jun/25/practical-vision-more-equal-society/
Furthermore, you may find of interest this link to thriller by a popular Greek novelist who channeled outrage of ordinary Greeks at elite tax evasion! http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/may/13/petros-markaris-greek-rage-fiction