this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2024
404 points (98.1% liked)

World News

39032 readers
2973 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

G20 nations have agreed to work together to make the superrich pay their taxes, but stopped short of a broader agreement.

Finance ministers from the G20 nations agreed to work toward effectivelytaxing the superrich, according to a statement adopted Friday after a meeting in Rio de Janeiro.

"With full respect to tax sovereignty, we will seek to engage cooperatively to ensure that ultra-high-net-worth individuals are effectively taxed," the statement said.

"Wealth and income inequalities are undermining economic growth and social cohesion and aggravating social vulnerabilities," it added.

The sensitive issue of cracking down on tax-dodging billionaires dominated the two-day meeting in the Brazilian city that will host a G20 summit in November.

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva welcomed the G20's stance on "tax fairness," calling the decision to cooperate on taxing the ultrarich "timely and welcome."

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] kata1yst@sh.itjust.works 50 points 3 months ago (2 children)

The problem, as ever, is game theory. All you need is ONE bad actor to spoil the entire effort. See the panama papers.

If one country has laws that allow billionaires to claim residence or establish a shell corporation and have lower or no income tax and these bastards will all jump at the chance and that tax money will slip through the fingers of everyone playing by the rules.

Laws are great. But what we need is real enforcement by agencies with real teeth. Ban shell corps. Tax overseas transfers aggressively. Treat white collar crime like a real crime with severe penalties.

[–] d00phy@lemmy.world 29 points 3 months ago (1 children)

True, but that’s why groups like G20 exist. They can agree to act as a block. If a “bad actor” decided they wanted to do something like you suggest, the G20 countries could agree on sanctions against that country.

Also, “because someone will figure out a way around it” is not a good reason not to enact a law. Just a reason to make one better.

[–] kata1yst@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 months ago

Oh certainly. I wasn't suggesting not taking steps to improve the situation. But I'm advocating for each country (or perhaps even the G20 itself) establishing a similar set of rules, penalties, and aggressive enforcement. Anything else will leave loopholes and be a half-measure.

[–] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 months ago

Incorrect, the US could unilaterally implement real tax reform and simply bar folks from doing business domestically (or having access to domestic services) and the rich assholes would start paying up really quick... then other countries would have the choice of leaving money on the table and being a tax haven or getting free money.

The real fucking problem is political donations. Countries make less revenue but politicians are getting fat stacks.