Greater international freedom for private interests as a consequence of globalisation and digitalisation has grown significantly over the past few decades and represents a keen threat to our democracies. Some of those that profit the most and can afford to pay the most, utilise their new found freedoms to avoid paying as much as possible. This leaves democratically elected governments as hollow shells only able to effectively tax those that those who can afford it the least and thus; cannot hide.
As such it is important for organisations such as the EU to try to re-assert their control over private interests to prevent the loss of control that has occurred over recent decades from making democratically run organisations completely impotent in the long run.
This narrative has not a great deal to do with the linked article and everything to do with the discussion on here. A discussion that seems to completely ignore these changes that have happened to our societies in recent decades while holding an irresponsible view that financial regulation is tyranny and that taxation is theft. It is _critical_ to our democratic values that our institutions that are accountable to the people, are able to control private interests that grow too large and are able to raise tax receipts from those that wish to try and hide. That includes the black market.
The thing is, democracy hasn't demonstrated that it can combat private interests.
If private interests can't operate outside the country's border, then these people have the money to simply manipulate the media, the politicians and therefore the policies and democracy itself to suit them.
> The thing is, democracy hasn't demonstrated that it can combat private interests.
Sure but I don't get the rhetoric on here where when the EU attempts to combat malicious private interests via financial regulation everyone starts trying to cast it as a tyrannical evil empire.
One could as easily state that the EU is attempting to stand up for democratic interests, which is why I have added that comment making that argument.
As such it is important for organisations such as the EU to try to re-assert their control over private interests to prevent the loss of control that has occurred over recent decades from making democratically run organisations completely impotent in the long run.
This narrative has not a great deal to do with the linked article and everything to do with the discussion on here. A discussion that seems to completely ignore these changes that have happened to our societies in recent decades while holding an irresponsible view that financial regulation is tyranny and that taxation is theft. It is _critical_ to our democratic values that our institutions that are accountable to the people, are able to control private interests that grow too large and are able to raise tax receipts from those that wish to try and hide. That includes the black market.