"PJ O'Donovan" wrote in message
news:1175594539.871371.168420@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> March 30, 2007
> Swedes finally scrap wealth tax
> By AP
>
> STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Maybe the next Bjorn Borg won't feel compelled to
> move to Monaco now that Sweden plans to scrap a decades-old "wealth"
> tax that imposes levies on assets -- not just on income.
>
> The tax, which a handful of developed countries retain, was *designed
> to keep the rich from getting richer* -- but is increasingly seen as
> harming primarily the *not-quite-rich upper-middle classes*. The move,
> expected to be approved by parliament later this year, underscores the
> country's efforts to keep successful Swedes and their capital at home
> by changing its fabled but costly welfare state.
>
> "It's not sustainable to keep taxes that radically diverge from other
> countries," Finance Minister Anders Borg, who is not related to the
> tennis great, told The Associated Press yesterday. "Not if you want
> the money to stay in the country." Several European countries have
> dropped taxes on wealth in the last decade, including Denmark, the
> Netherlands and Finland. In France, taxes on the rich have become a
> top campaign issue before the presidential elections in April and May.
> Luxembourg and Spain are the only other EU countries that impose
> wealth taxes, according to the Swedish government.
>
> Not surprisingly, the wealthiest Swedes have fled the country,
> including IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad, No. 4 on Forbes magazine's list
> of the world's richest people. He lives in Switzerland. Five-time
> Wimbledon winner Bjorn Borg moved to tax-haven Monaco in the late
> 1970s. The principality is also home to many Swedish sports stars such
> as Alpine skier Anja Paerson, high-jumper Kajsa Bergqvist and triple
> jumper Christian Olsson.
>
> http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/World/2007/03/30/3870247-sun.html
>
# What is, or is not, a "socialist" country depends on your definition. If
socialism is "the public ownership of the means of production, distribution,
and exchange" then none (?) would qualify. State control is not necessarily
socialism, if it is really ownership by an oligarchy. Nor do Scandinavian
nations meet the criteria, if they merely tax the rich to help the poor,
commendable as this may seem = the Welfare State.
Capitalism has its merits, but is essentially an elitist system, which is
why prolongation of a Coalition government in Australia will only widen the
gap between rich and poor.
The Class War, and malaise of capitalism, will only be resolved when there
is Industrial Democracy - democracy in the workplace. Trade Unions act as a
bulwark against the worst excesses of capitalism, but their ambitions are
limited to job security, better pay and conditions. If they aspire to no
more than that, then they have no real future.
The Blair govt in Britain, and its Third Way? No, merely more icing on
the stale cake of capitalism. After Labour, what?
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