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There is nothing strange about his views, as long as you keep in mind that a company can pay lower salaries if their employees cheat on their taxes. So Zumwinkel was giving a good example, that when folowed by his employees would have significantly reduced the salary expenses of the company.
by GreatZamfir on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 at 07:00:22 AM EST
That might be a cynical rationalist view, but the fact is that there seems to be a alrge amount of evasion going on. It's hard to call it evasion (implying illegality) in the UK as most of the worst abuses seem to be legal, even encouraged. After all, neo-liberalism probably views tax, like wages, to be a "cost" that it is righteous to avoid.

I think he should be an example. Hang him from the gates of the City as a warning to others. But only after anybody on average wages or below is offered the opportunity to pelt any excrement or rotten fruit at him as they like.

Vindictive ?? Me ??

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 at 08:11:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Only joking...

I was thinking that if a lot of guys like him get fired, we have a beautiful experiment about the way the 'market determines CEO pay'.

After all, if this guy was payed a competitive salary, than there must loads of foreign companies willing to hire him for million or so less than his last pay.

by GreatZamfir on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 at 08:39:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]
this is not a joke. what you are proposing is exactly what the neolibs would dream of. Pay people less, and let them make up the difference by not paying taxes. It's just efficient optimisation. Better to have that money in the hands of the private sector, where it can be perfectly allocated, than in the grubby, wasteful hands of the government.

And, as you point out, it's even better if employees cheat on their taxes themselves, because that way the company is not liable and its (increased) profits are safe...

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 at 11:08:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Yeah, I know. It becomes especially irritating when it is combined with some 'revealed preferences' argument that basically makes market allocation perfect by definition.
by GreatZamfir on Wed Feb 20th, 2008 at 05:11:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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