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While it's true that corporate influence over governments may result in subsidies to effectively give a discount - it is less likely than you describe, because
by einpoklum 5y ago
While it's true that corporate influence over governments may result in subsidies to effectively give a discount - it is less likely than you describe, because the taxation is international.
To illustrate why that is, think about a state like Ireland. So far, Ireland has gotten corporations to be HQ'ed there, or pay taxes there, because the tax rate is only 12.5%. The detriment for Ireland has been minimal, if any, from that corporate presence. It _could_ have gotten more but that's just theoretical.
If this goes into effect, then a corporation will no longer benefit as much from being Ireland-based: It will pay 12.5% corporate income tax annually, but will pay extra in other countries it's active in. Who's going to subsidize the extra 2.5%? Ireland? Technically possible, but it's unlikely for Irish politicians to subsidize the taxes a private corporation pays _elsewhere_. Showering a corporation with money to that extent requires corruption on a whole new level.
- atopuzov 5y agoIt's not like MNCs in Ireland actually pay any tax anyway (various loopholes and agreements provided by the Irish government). To quote from [1] "the revelations shone a fresh spotlight on Irish tax policy that “has been designed precisely to facilitate this kind of avoidance”." [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/03/microsoft-irish-subsidiary-paid-zero-corporate-tax-on-220bn-profit-last-year https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/03/microsoft-iris...
- einpoklum 5y agoOh, well, that's worse than I thought, but I think it basically bolsters my argument: A subsidy for them could not even be checked off against their tax contributions to the state's economy.
- refurb 5y agoThat’s not true at all. Your example is a special situation. https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/top-10-companies-now-pay-more-than-half-of-corporate-tax-1.4553695 https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/top-10-companies... The top 10 corporate tax payers, including Pfizer, Apple and Intel made up 50% of all corporate tax revenue in Ireland, $6B. Ireland has 4M people, that means the top 10 companies contribute $1500 for every man woman and child in Ireland. That’s a hell of a deal for the country.
- einpoklum 5y ago> That’s a hell of a deal for the country. More of a Faustian deal...