During World War One 30 million troops were conscripted. 9 million were killed. 16,000 Britons claimed the right to refuse to kill. During World War Two 45 million troops were conscripted. 25 million were killed. 60,000 Britons claimed the right to refuse to kill. During the Vietnam War 1 million US troops were conscripted. 58,000 were killed. 170,000 Americans claimed the right to refuse to kill. 300,000 US/UK troops fought in the 2003 Iraq War. None were physically conscripted. As annual global military expenditure reaches $1 trillion, mass physical conscription has ended. Financial conscription has taken its place. Contempt of Conscience, 2009
RAF Fairford March 2003: ‘This [peace protest] is the most complex, largest, most expensive operation ever undertaken by Gloucester constabulary … There’s 1,000 police here which seems rather over the top.’ ibid.
March 20th 2003: The B52 bombers took off from Fairford for their five-hour flight to Iraq. ibid.
The Treasury has been pretty cagey about the figures. ibid.
By withholding 10% of my taxes I’m exercising that right. ibid.
There is an historical tradition of tax resistance particularly in the United States. ibid.
How valuable a source of tax for the treasury they could be. Dispatches: Cannabis: Time to End the Ban? reporter Lord Hogan-Howe, Channel 4 2018
‘We’re broke. America’s broke.’ We’re Not Broke: The Corporate Tax Cheats of America, politicians & news broadcasters et al, 2012
GE (2005-2010): profit $26 billion; Federal Income Tax Paid: $0 … Bank of America 2010: profit $4.4 trillion; bailout $1 trillion; Federal Income Tax Paid: $0 … Exxon 2009: Profit $19 billion; Federal Income Taax Paid: $0 … ibid.
Occupy Wall Street New York march on Times Square October 2011. ibid.
‘We call out corporate tax dodgers.’ ibid. US Uncut dude
There are now 50 countries designated as offshore tax havens. ibid. caption
‘I propose to eliminate all federal corporate income tax.’ ibid. Sarah Palin
We’re going to tax them at 91% like we used to … [and] destroy the military machine in this country which is the greatest enemy of democracy. Chris Hedges, lecture Seattle University 2018, ‘Corporate Totalitarianism: The End Game’ *****
More than two years into Washington’s first term the people are rising up over a new tax on whisky, one the president signed into law. Washington III, History 2021
From 1799 every British subject earning more than £60 a year was charged income tax at a rate of 10%. Dan Snow, Empire of the Seas: How the Navy Forged the Modern World III: High Tide, BBC 2010
Monaco: the miniature nation not much bigger than Hyde Park on the French Riviera where one in three residents are millionaires. Inside Monaco: Playground of the Rich I, BBC 2020
But for many wealthy individuals the major financial benefits remain one of Monaco’s biggest draws … The government doesn’t charge any income tax at all. ibid.
Without any revenue from income tax, the principality relies on VAT, charging 20% on every sale. ibid.
There is nobody in this country who got rich on their own. Nobody. You built a factory out there – good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory ... Now look. You built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea – God bless! Keep a hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along. Elizabeth Warren
Stephen Kinnock works Monday to Friday in Geneva and the goes home to Denmark where he pays no tax. Denmark’s tax rate is in excess of 60%. So why are we paying him to be an MP when his loyalty appears to be elsewhere? Who looks after his constituents? John McDonald, tweet 7th April 2022
It wasn’t the first time the Queen had come under pressure to pay tax. Elizabeth: Our Queen VI: Crown in Crisis, Channel 5 2018
HMRC says the country loses £35 billion every year in tax evasion by super rich individuals and companies. DWP claim the country loses £2.5 billion per year through benefit fraud.
Why then do government employ 4,045 people to tackle benefit fraud and only 552 tackling tax evasion? Laffterman tweet March 2019