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Nothing, but I'd really prefer we came up with suitably democratic replacements before we end up shoving all power on a plate to multi-national corporations.
by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Tue Dec 13th, 2005 at 06:26:22 AM EST
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The problem with multinationals is that, because they have deep pockets, they can drive local companies out of business one by one if they so choose. And they even get to pay less taxes by counting the losses they incur by underselling their competition out of business as reduced income. I have no idea what difference the nation state (or any other government, democtratic or not) can make in this.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Dec 13th, 2005 at 06:33:51 AM EST
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Well, the problem you describe is present within nations as well. Any small business faced with competition from a significantly larger one is in trouble. The government is not able to solve this problem at this time.

However, for example, if the tax law had been written more carefully, M&S would not have won this case. The power of the EU is that the market is big enough that companies will submit to the law in order to make some money. If it works in safety testing, it can work in tax law.

Obviously it's an imperfect solution, but it's a start.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Tue Dec 13th, 2005 at 07:03:00 AM EST
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