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State Sovereignty and Corruption
Offshore banking, secret financial havens, money laundering and corruption steadily corrode the foundations of the nation-state. Offshore tax havens, spread by new computing and telecommunications, provide an unprecedented tax shelter, enabling rich citizens and corporations to escape the national tax system - eroding the tax base, weakening state finance and undermining the legitimacy of the tax system in the eyes of ordinary citizens. Offshore havens also promote money laundering, aiding criminal anti-social activities of all kinds, beyond the detection of national authorities. Corruption of public officials flourishes under such conditions, in the North as in the South, further eroding the capacity of the state to operate "legally" and to command the loyalty of its ordinary citizens.
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States and Their Future | Statehood and Sovereignty
Corruption and Money Laundering - Regions
In many countries, corruption and money laundering drain an enormous percentage of tax revenue, drastically undermining a state's ability to provide universal or low-cost services like health care and education. Corruption pervade many levels of governance, from lower level officials to top executives, undermining the legitimacy of the government in the eyes of citizens.Corruption and Money Laundering - General Analysis
This page posts general articles on corruption.Tax Havens
Offshore tax havens, spread by new computing and telecommunications, provide an unprecedented tax shelter, enabling rich citizens and corporations to escape the national tax system. Wealthy tax evaders save millions, while public services and infrastructure in their home countries, as well as on the small island havens, remain drastically underfunded.Flags of Convenience
A ship that flies a so-called ‘flag of convenience’ (FoC) is registered in a country other than the country of ownership. FoC states employ low labor, wage, and safety standards, making it attractive for shipowners to register their vessels there in order to escape stricter regulation in their own country, another activity that undermines state sovereignty.Links and Resources
This page provides links and resources on corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.
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