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On 13.07.11 17:22, parminder wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4E1DAA09.4030404@itforchange.net" type="cite">
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<font face="sans-serif">However, the newness of the situation and
need for appropriate response should not be used as an excuse to
declare some part of our social structure as out of bounds for
taxes, polity and public systems. This is the sole point of
contention in this debate. This is what Milton and Daniel seem
to be trying to do. <br>
</font><br>
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Just for the record, I have never ever said taxes should be avoided.
Also, for the record, I do not believe in the "one government"
agenda. I am perfectly comfortable with a zillion different taxation
systems. Choice is important.<br>
<br>
But so far I have not been convinced the current taxation system,
based on the principle "I am the king and I tax anyone who is around
me and subject to my powers" can work with the Internet -- because I
can hardly see how (at the same time):<br>
<br>
- say the city of Taiwan can ask any company, based anywhere in the
world pay taxes, especially as it may happens in some countries that
particular company is prohibited to pay anyone outside it's country
of residence (this may sound silly, but applied in Bulgaria not too
long ago).<br>
- how does the city of Taiwan know I have purchased whatever from
whomever online.<br>
- how can the city of Taiwan prevent the use of "Internet services"
provided by anyone, located anywhere by residents of Taiwan?<br>
<br>
You example with the razor is flawed. In theory, if I live in
Bulgaria and while visiting the US purchase an notebook, I am
obliged to declare it at the customs on re-entering my home country
and pay custom duties and VAT. I will not touch on the issue that
very few people actually do this. But the notebook is still a
material object and I could be eventually detected "smuggling" it. <br>
<br>
What about software? The customs might detect a physical medium it
is stored on, but the days when diskettes, tapes etc were rare and
easily spotted are long gone. Today, a software of significant value
might reside on the flash storage of my MP3 player, or, of course
somewhere in Internet.<br>
<br>
If I buy a razor and attempt to declare it and pay taxes and VAT
they will luckily laugh at me. Why? Because it is of 'small value'?
Or perhaps because it is 'apparently' for personal use? What about
software? The software application I bought in App Store might be
even lower value and it is very likely for personal use.<br>
<br>
Again, to not distract the topic. I am not against taxes or
governments. I just see their problem in enforcing their "rights".
It does not help telling me "they know how to do it" because
apparently they no longer do. And this is not only with the Internet
--- Internet merely makes these things extremely obvious.<br>
<br>
Daniel<br>
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