#cooperative taxation

[ifindtaxpro]

🌾 Cultivate success with effective tax planning for agricultural enterprises! From farming to ranching and agricultural cooperatives, we're sowing the seeds of financial prosperity in the world of agriculture. 🚜💰 #Agriculture #TaxPlanning #Ranching

[southsouthcooperationday]

(15th meeting) First Session Ad Hoc Committee to Draft Terms of Reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

2. cont.' (b) SubstanIve elements - Discussion of ToRs Skeleton, including any second discussions of previously discussed issues.

Programme of Work

Watch the (15th meeting) First Session Ad Hoc Committee to Draft Terms of Reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation!

First Session Ad Hoc Committee to Draft Terms of Reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation will be held from 26 April – 8 May 2024. UN Web TV

[felixwylde]

What's better to admire than money?

I mean, why money? Money’s just a symbol of power; it’s not the power itself. We kinda rely on it, but we’re still around even when we’re broke.The weird thing about money worship is that it’s not really about what you can buy; it’s treated like some sort of deity.If money were a god, what would it offer? Would it give us fame, fortune, happiness, or just some peace of mind?Are rich folks…

[thetrashthatsmilesback]

Watcher, Capitalism, and the Petite (Petty) Bourgeois

So the whole Watcher controversy has revealed an interesting misunderstanding of what constitutes "the rich" or capitalist beliefs. The major theme that arose during the controversy was the sense that Shane in particular had gone against his previously stated leftist beliefs - that he had, for all these years, taken up a humorous aesthetic of anti-capitalism without actually believing in what he was saying. I believe that this is due to a breakdown in definitions as they become spread to the general public. Dissemination of information is a good thing, and I would never argue against it, but one problem which arises from concepts spreading to large groups without context is that often the actual meanings break down until they are vastly different from their original, academic denotation. This is, I believe, what happened with the phrase “eat the rich” and its current colloquial usage.

I want to preface this with the fact that nothing I am about to say applies exclusively to Watcher, or that the Watcher staff have done anything wrong or misrepresented themselves. I also don’t think that the Watcher fanbase is wrong at all – the situation just happened to spawn arguments both in defense of and critique of the Watcher team which indicated, in my opinion, that an understanding of “the rich” in a capitalist society is not well understood. Disclaimers out of the way, let’s get into this.

During the controversy, two major sides arose – those who had begun to see the Watcher crew (in particular Steven, Ryan, and Shane) as “the rich” or ruling class in a capitalist setting, and those who argued against this by arguing that as Watcher is a small business, and not the upper 1%, they are not included in the definition of “the rich” expressed by leftists. I want to focus in on the counter-argument that Watcher being a small business just trying to survive means that they are not considered “the rich.”

In Marxist theory, there is a small group called the “petite” or “petty bourgeoisie.” This group is defined as those who both own and contribute to the means of production – aka, small business owners. Marx himself wrote little about the petite bourgeoisie, predominantly referencing them in passing in his essays The Class Struggles in France, 1848-1850 and very briefly in The Communist Manifesto. He does happen to criticize this group in the little writing he did on it, “Marx derides what he sees as the petit-bourgeois self-delusion that, because it combines both employment and ownership of the means of production, it somehow represents the solution to the class struggle. This class was progressive in a limited sense, as witnessed by its claims at various times for co-operatives, credit institutions, and progressive taxation, as a consequence of felt oppression at the hands of the bourgeoisie. However, these were (in terms of the Marxist view of history) strictly limited demands, just as the ideological representatives of this class have been constrained by their own problems and solutions” (“Petite Bourgeoisie - Oxford Reference”).

Now, it is very important to note that team “Watcher is a small business” aren’t completely wrong in their positioning of Watcher’s attempt to raise more revenue as Not Evil Capitalism. Marx’s belief was that eventually the Petite Bourgeoisie would be pushed into the proletariat class. I also am not positive that Watcher is a classical small business – they very well could be a worker co-op. A worker co-op is a business where the workers have ownership of the company, and significant representation on the board of directors(“What Is A Worker Cooperative? – U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives”). While some criticism of worker co-ops from a communist or socialist view exist, they are generally seen as a more socialist approach to the typical small business model.

I couldn’t find direct confirmation that Watcher is a co-op. One point against them being one is the use of titles such as CEO and Owner, but these designations could simply be for tax and paperwork reasons. Watcher is an objectively small company, they have between 25 and 30 workers, and most people cite them currently having 27 workers, but in the past they have employed interns and I am unsure of if they currently have interns on board so I am going to stick to the range. It would be incredibly easy to have a worker co-op with 25-30 people, you wouldn’t even need voted representatives; everyone could just be on the board and contribute to decisions. I figured the next best approach would be to see what the roles on Watcher’s shows are – if Steven, Shane, and Ryan contribute significantly rather than just showing up and looking pretty on camera, then there is a good chance they might be functioning as a worker co-op more than a traditional business or small business.

To do this, I decided to look at Watcher’s largest show for each co-owner. This means Ghost Files, Mystery Files, Puppet History, and Steven’s food series. These numbers broke down as follows:

Ghost Files: Ryan is listed as a Creator on all Ghost Files videos. Ghost Files Debriefs do not have writers, so that role will not be held against them on those videos. Ryan and Shane were listed as a Host and an Executive Producer on all videos, but neither ever held a Writer, Editor, or Sound Mixing role.

Mystery Files: Ryan and Shane were listed as a Host and an Executive Producer on all videos, but neither ever held a Writer, Editor, or Sound Mixing role.

Puppet History: Shane is listed as a Creator on all Puppet History videos. He is listed as a Host on all videos, an Executive Producer on all videos, Writer on 4 videos, and never held an Editor or Sound Mixing role.

Steven’s Food Series: Steven is listed as a Host and an Executive Producer on all videos, but neither ever held an Editor, or Sound Mixing role. This show does not require a writer so this will not be held against him.

*Do take these numbers with a grain of salt, I wrote this while in class so its possible that I missed something.*

Looking at those numbers, the main three do predominantly just film, but I don’t want to devalue the work that goes into being on camera. They are still generating capital by acting, I simply wanted to clear up confusion I had due to seeing people say they edited every Ghost Files video. From what I can see, they don’t do the editing, but as executive producers they likely have to review every video before it goes out. I also still can’t fully come to a conclusion on if the company can be considered a worker co-op, but I believe it is a standard small business – aka, the petite bourgeoisie.

All of that leads to the final point – the way that people only began to view the three lead Watcher members/founding members as “the rich” after the announcement of the streaming platform shows the way that leftist theory has become divorced from some of its meaning. I saw several people arguing “you guys can’t recognize the rich”/”you guys would attack doctors and lawyers under the guise of eating the rich,” and yes its true that doctors who work in hospitals are proletariat, but if a doctor opens a private practice or a lawyer opens a private firm, does that render them more bourgeoisie or more proletariat? At what point do the petite bourgeoisie become a part of those who we disavow? I don’t actually have answers to these questions, and I’m sure people much smarter than me or better versed in economics have written on this (one source I found that seemed good while I was skimming it despite its age is this one https://www.jstor.org/stable/2083291?seq=3 ). I didn’t make this point to argue one point over the other on whether Watcher counts as “the rich,” but more to focus on the way that term gets used. The argument could be made that we could have started questioning Shane’s anti-capitalist beliefs the moment he helped start a company, but we didn’t. We only started to criticize him on the basis of hypocrisy after the announcement and its out of touch comments. This raises so many questions about how we use the term “the rich” now – does it refer to anyone we dislike who is financially stable? Has the term become completely divorced from its original meaning? Or were we being hypocrites all along? Has Watcher Entertainment always been incongruent with Shane’s implied political beliefs? Is there a certain point at which the petite bourgeoisie become a part of the financial aristocracy? Or is that term only relegated to the industrial bourgeoisie, is it reserved exclusively for those in financial positions that no artisan could ever hope to reach?

Is it possible that both arguments are correct regarding the Watcher boys, and all other members of small business ownership and management positions? That they are both “the rich” but not a part of the proper bourgeoisie?

I don’t know. I find it fascinating though.

[azspot]

The supply-side movement complicates the idea of austerity because on the one hand, it sells itself as a tax cut movement. It seems to align with the idea of rejecting state power and refusing government aid. But as soon as you make selective cuts to a baseline rate of income taxation, the result is tantamount to direct public spending: in budget accounting terms, both serve to increase deficits. So what supply siders call tax incentives are really government subsidies to the holders of capital income, in particular those who “earn” profits in the form of capital gains. What looks like spending austerity is actually spending extravagance by other means.

Melinda Cooper

[sourcreammachine]

GREEN PARTY MANIFESTO 2024 SUMMARY

tldr: there's a feeling of tension in this manifesto, between youthful zennial climatic ecosocialism and old-guard hippy-liberal environmentalism. this year the greens may well go from 1 MP to the dizzying heights of 2 (there's whispers on the wind that they may even get 3...), and the green council delegation is at 800-odd now, so this could easily be a changing-of-the-guard moment

with the great Berry and the ok Denyer in parliament the party could have more momentum in battling the starmerite government, and with that, it has the ability, the possibility to pick up more momentum. this is a big opportunity in the party's history - over the next five years it can and could be pushed into a holistic ecosocialist movement by the centrally influential mass party membership, and remove the last dregs of its tunnel vision to provide a lefty movement for everyone, green and pink, a Newfoundland coalition. with votes at 16 on the cards and this potential evolution of the party, 2029 could be a big moment for this country's left. whether or not the greens play the role of keystone is up to them

it is also the only manifesto to use the term 'neurodivergent'

💷ECONOMY

wealth tax of 1% on individuals with assets over §10m and 2% for assets over §1b (an extremely humble proposal), reform capital gains and investment dividend taxation to be at the same rates as income taxation, remove the income-based bands on national insurance contributions, ie raising total income taxation by 8% at §50k/a, – altogether raising government revenues by upwards of §70b/a

stratify VAT to reduce it for consumer stuff and hike it for stuff like financial services

permanent windfall tax on banks for whenever they get windfalls

perform a holistic land survey to get the data needed for a new, effective Land Tax

abolish the tax relief on existing freeports and SEZs

heavy carbon tax to raise a boatload of billions, rising progressively over a decade to allow industrial adaptation, for a ~§80b state windfall for five years that'll be for green investment as this windfall starts to recede

renationalise water and energy

§15 minimum wage, 10:1 pay ratio for all organisations public and private (ie §150 sort-of maximum wage, ~§300k/a), mandatory equal pay audits, 'support' lower hours and four-day weeks [clarification needed]

unambiguously define gig workers as workers with contract rights from day one, repeat offenders of gig-slavery will be banned from operating in the country

every City bank required to produce a strategy with a clear pathway to divestment of all fossil fuels "as soon as possible and at least by 2030", every City non-banking organisation simply to be banned from having fossil fuel in their portfolios, credit to be banned for repeat City climate offenders, mandate the BoE to fulfil the funding of the climate transition and climate leadership of the City, FCA to develop measures to ban fossil fuel share trading in the City and immediately prohibit all new shares in fossil fuels

"we will explore legal ways for companies to be transformed into mutual organisations"😈

develop regional cooperative banks to invest in regional SMEs, coops and community enterprises

diversify crop growth, promote local agricultural cooperatives and peripheral urban horticultural farms, give farmers a sort of collective bargain against grocers

aim towards a circular economy: require ten-year warranties on white goods, rollout of right-to-repair

tighten monopoly laws on media with a hard cap preventing >20% of a media market being owned by one individual or company and implement Leveson 2

🏥PUBLIC SERVICES

abolish tuition fees and cancel standing debt

surge nhs funding by §30B, triple labour's spending plans for everything, the entire budget, the entire state, everything

free personal care, with occupational therapy being part of this

35h/w free child care (eg seven hours over five days, or seven days of five hours)

renationalise many academies under local authorities, abolish the "charity" status of private schools and charge VAT

surge funding for smoking-cessation, addiction support and sexual health service

surge funding for public dentistry with free care for children and low-earners

free school breakfasts in primary school and free school lunches for all schools

one-month guarantee of access to mental health therapies

online access to PrEP

let school playing fields be used in the evenings by local sports clubs

greater funding for civic sports facilities and pools

🏠HOUSING

unambiguously-under-the-law nationalise the crown estate for an absolute fuckton of land and assets for housing and for green energy and rewilding for FREE

rent control for local authorities, ban no-fault evictions and introduce long-term leases, create private tenancy boards of tenants

local authorities to have right of first refusal on the purchase of certain properties at aggressive rates, such as unoccupied or uninsulated buildings

all new homes to be Passivhaus standard with mandatory solar panels and heat pumps

§30B across five years to insulate homes, §12B of which is for social homes, and §9B more for heat pumps, and §7B more for summer cooling

planning law reform: council planning mechanisms to priorities little developments all over the place rather than sprawling blobs, demolitions to require as thorough a planning application as erections, new developments required to not be car dependent

planning laws to require large-scale developments feature access to key community infrastructures such as transport, health and education, often mandating the construction of new key infrastructures, support nightlife and local culture in planning regulations

exempt pubs and local cultural events from VAT

building materials to be reusable, builders' waste rates to be surged to encourage use of reuse

750k new social homes in five years

🚄TRANSPORT

'a bus service to every village', restore local authority control and/or ownership of their busses

renationalise rail via franchise-concession lapsing, slowly assume ownership of the rolling stock (currently leased, and would continue to be so under labour's implementation of renationalisation) by buying a new train when the stock needs to be replaced

electrification agenda across the rail network, strategic approach to rail line and station reopenings

bring forward (sorta, the tories suspended it but labour says they'll reinstate it) the new petrol car ban from 2030 to 2027, existing petrol cars targeted to be off the road by 2034, investigate road-price charges as a replacement for petrol tax, hike road tax proportionally to vehicle weight, drop urban speed limits from 50kph to 30kph (or from 30mph to 20mph if you only speak Wrong), mass funding for freightrail and support logistics firms transitioning away from lorries

§2.5b/a for footpaths and cycleways, target of 50% of urban journeys to be extravehicular by 2030

frequent-flyer levy, ban on domestic flights within three-hour rail distance, remove the exemption of airline fuel from fuel tax, prioritise training of airline workers into other transportational jobs

👮FORCE

abolish the home office, transfer its police/security portfolio to the justice ministry and its citizenship/migration portfolio to a new migration ministry separate from the criminal justice system

abolish the kill the bill bill and restore the right to protest

recognise palestine, push for immediate ceasefire and prosecution of war crimes, back the south africa case, "[support] an urgent international effort to end the illegal occupation of palestinian land"

grant asylum-seekers the right to work before their application is granted

end the hostile environment

abolish Prevent

end routine stop-and-search and facial recognition

commission to reform 'counterproductive' drug regime, decriminalise personal possession

amend the Online Safety Act to "[protect] political debate from being manipulated by falsehoods, fakes and half-truths", ie actually protecting 'fReE sPeEcH' and not everything that rightists imply by that phrase

decriminalise sex work

reform laws to give artists IP protections against ai

cancel trident and disarm

push for nato reforms (in its and our interest, they're not russophiles, they're not galloway, it's ok): get it to adopt a no-first-use nuclear policy, get it to prioritise diplomatic action first rather than military reaction, get it to adopt a stronger line on only acting for the defence of its member states

right to roam🚶‍♂️

🌱CLIMATE

zero-carbon by 2040, rather than the ephemeral ostensible government target of 2050

stop all new oil/gas licenses, end all subsidy for oil/gas industries, regulate biofuels to end greenwashing, end subsidies for biomass

decarbonise energy by 2030, minimum threshold of energy infrastructures to be community owned, "end the de facto ban on onshore wind" with planning reform

massively expand the connections between the insular grid and the UCTE continental grid to increase electricity import and export and prevent the need for energy autarky

more targeted bans on single-use plastics

"give nature a legal personhood" ok grandma let’s get you to bed

§2b/a to local authorities for local small-business decarbonisation

"cease development of new nuclear power stations, as nuclear energy is much more expensive and slower to develop than renewables. we are clear that nuclear is a distraction from developing renewable energy and the risk to nuclear power stations from extreme climate events is rising fast. nuclear power stations carry an unacceptable risk for the communities living close to facilities and create unmanageable quantities of radioactive waste. they are also inextricably linked with the production of nuclear weapons. green MPs will campaign to phase out existing nuclear power stations." because some people just can't let go of the seventies. nuclear is good. nuclear is our friend

invest in r&d to find solutions to decarbonise 'residual' carbon in the economy, such as HGVs or mobile machinery

increase unharvested woodland by 50% (no time frame given), grants to farmers for scrub rewilding, rewet Pete Boggs, make 30% of the EEZ protected waters and ban bottom trawling

§4b/a in skills training to stop gas communities getting Thatchered, prioritising shifting these workers into offshore wind

a.. licensing scheme for all pet animals? you guys sure about that one

regulate animal farming with a goal of banning factory farms, ban mass routine antibiotics, ban cages/close confinement and animal mutilation

ban all hunting including coursing and "game", ban snaring, ban hunt-landscaping such as grouse moors, end the badger cull, mandate licensing of all animal workers with lifetime striking off for cruelty convictions, compulsory hedgehog holes in new fencing, 'push' for 'ending' horse and dog racing [clarification needed], new criminal offences for stealing and harming pets, 'work towards' banning animal testing

🗳️DEMOCRACY

proportional representation for parliament and all councils

abolish voter ID

votes at sixteen

votes for all visa'd migrants

restore the electoral commission's prosecutory powers and remove the cap on fines it can impose on parties

increase Short Money, especially for smaller parties

create a manifest legal category of organisation for think tanks, to allow better enforcement of lobbying and funding restrictions

consider fun new measures for political accessibility such as MP jobsharing and allowing public provision of offices for all parliamentary candidates

🎲OTHER STUFF

Self-ID including nonbinary recognition, including with an X passport marker

"work towards rejoining the eu as soon as the domestic political situation is favourable", join the eea now (with restored free movement)

let local authorities invest shares in sports teams, including professional ones, dividends ringfenced for public sports facilities and coaching

right to die

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

In speech at BRICS summit, Lula defends taxation of the super-rich and criticizes Israel's war against the Middle East

President announced Brazil's guidelines while at BRICS presidency in 2025, focusing on the defense of a multipolar world

On Wednesday (23), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took part in the 16th BRICS Summit by videoconference and announced the motto for the next summit, to be held in 2025 under the presidency of Brazil: “Strengthening cooperation in the Global South for more inclusive and sustainable governance.”

During his statement in the plenary session of the summit's leaders, Lula advocated taxing the super-rich and fighting hunger, criticized Israel's war in the Middle East and warned against climate change.

According to him, “there is no doubt” that the rich countries bear the greatest responsibility for the world's climate problems.

“BRICS is an unavoidable player in tackling climate change. There is no doubt that the greatest responsibility lies with the rich countries, whose history of emissions has culminated in the climate crisis we face today. We need to go beyond the promise of 100 billion dollars a year yet to be fulfilled and provide measures to monitor the commitments made,” he said.

Continue reading.

[blatantescapism]

Tumblr probably isn’t the place for this, this seems like a Reddit kind of question, but

We know that the international court has an ongoing legal case against the US government’s involvement in genocide.

Are there any current or developing legal cases *within* the US? So that US citizens can bring their own charges against the government directly?

There are weird legal arguments about presidential immunity right now

and impeachment depends on the cooperation of the government.

So maybe we should be attacking this from a different angle.

Biden bypassed Congress to send weapons to a genocidal foreign regime.

I argue that this is effectively “taxation without representation” in addition to the obvious violations of Constitutional and essential human rights.

I believe that there is precedent and legal basis here for US citizens to protest by withholding payment of this year’s federal taxes.

( in the absence of a fair and unbiased court, this would require either a *very* skilled legal defense team, or for it to be a *very* large coordinated effort. The IRS will seize your personal property if your legal defense fails.)

Ideally, we could push for a major overhaul of the tax and federal budget system in general.

The entire damn point of taxes! Is to improve the well-being of the public!

It’s supposed to be a pool of community resources where everyone chips in so that we can all have nice things!

It’s not supposed to be a price for being alive

It’s not supposed to be the president’s personal piggybank

It’s NOT supposed to be for war crimes

[robertldaltoniii]

there is not much to do but write about the foreseeable future it appears that since the 2000's the digital divide as its called has gotten larger and taxation and loophole avoidance has become even more common i say tax the revenue i say as soon as it comes in tax it then give them the rest so that no loophole or reinvestment scheme will be started do this on a global level this will need cooperation and communication this will be the only way forward if there is going to be a future of ubi, safety net, they will want to take more of it with data and the monetization of data the only way to get in the middle is start at the revenue this is i say the only way there is no other i have thought of this a great deal another thing that seems so strange to me is that the work here for a clerk or certain orginzations use this assesments and questioniers i find this dehumanizing the people are not numbers in times before you submitted a resume and someone either saw you or didnt they interviewed you, this was the assesment now its left to a computer to determine if you should even get an interview i can only fear what the future generations will have to go through if this is not legislated out more data more narrowing these tests can miss important qualities traits you can really only see in person we have thrown it all to the computer the rent $ they have found the algo the data i say to extort the people and make as much money as they can companies that use such technology and the algo will only get better technology should not be a tool for the elite to make more money of the poor or working class i say but only one exception the LLM a free LLM is beutiful thing i fear that companies will take advantage of users data in the case of ISP's selling data as well in our society like this our capitalism these companies will most likely be the things that keep things going we will need to have a real-time government tracking of jobs, types of jobs, and congress must be made a new they are slow and inefficient i say we are in space we must not keep referencing the old there is new here this age mirrors the industrial revolution and they did not sit back during that time you must also build throwing in the competition where there is none these affordable housing units concrete prefab this is the new war wage disparity and the divide will only get larger it will cost 100B it is needed rentable affordable units $500 the sun is there the big energy use it invest the times must shift or we will not be prepared we must sustain i feel we are in the last stages of capitalism trading will soon be automated our infrastructure hacked it is time we think of a new we can not play slow congress any longer it is a human issue i had made a great poster this morning one of the greatest i feel something that gets you inside to the heart against fat it reads: "YOUR REALITY ENDS UP CEASING, IN THE END SO LETS DO SOMETHING GOOD" it is an aim at altruism, top spur a slight existentialism at first but then not to leave you wondering what to do and so the lines read "to do something good" in regards to congress either people do not geniunly know this process is slow or they just dont care so i say we must get them to care this attempt to get people to remember the governemnt is for the people to step in when corperations abuse the people this is the way i look to the days the weeks and even months we must not play house we must really strive to rid greed we have no time for secrets of drugs or hookers we must build the people will tell you what they need i do not like to see the country hurting you look for it and you will find it i fear that we will have to rethink the whole set up without an accurate real time data of works or education we will spend time in sectors that change faster than aquiring the education

[pilawturkey]

Company Establishment in Turkey

Company establishment in Turkey has become a popular avenue for both foreign and domestic investors, offering numerous benefits such as a young population, favorable currency rates, and decreasing production and labor costs. The dynamic economy, strategic location, and favorable regulatory framework have made Turkey an attractive destination for businesses aiming to expand in the region.

Legal Framework

The foundation of company registration in Turkey is governed by the Turkish Commercial Code (Law No. 6102). This key legislation outlines the legal requirements for forming a company, regardless of whether the business is owned by domestic or foreign entrepreneurs. Complementary laws, such as the Turkish Code of Obligations (No. 6098) and Turkish Civil Code (No. 4721), also play a role in specific aspects of company operations.

Under the law, companies in Turkey acquire legal personality upon registration with the Trade Registry, meaning they are recognized as separate legal entities. This legal separation allows companies to enjoy rights and undertake obligations in their own name, and protects investors from personal liability in many cases.

Foreign Investment in Turkey

Foreigners are allowed to establish companies in Turkey with the same rights as Turkish citizens. The Foreign Direct Investment Law (No. 4875), enacted in 2013, eliminated the legal distinctions between foreign and domestic investors, providing equal treatment to both. This legal framework makes it easier for foreign investors to enter the Turkish market and benefit from its growing opportunities.

Recent legislative developments, such as the 2024 FATF Decision on Türkiye, have further improved Turkey’s attractiveness as an investment hub, particularly with the enactment of new laws like the Turkish Crypto Law (No. 7518). This law addresses critical areas such as digital assets, cryptocurrencies, and peer-to-peer platforms, providing clarity and structure for investors interested in emerging technologies.

Company Types and Registration Process

Investors have the option to establish five types of companies in Turkey, as stipulated in the Turkish Commercial Code:

Collective Companies

Commandite Companies

Cooperatives

Limited Companies

Joint-Stock Companies

The incorporation process can be efficiently completed through MERSİS, the Central Registry System, allowing businesses to finalize registration electronically. One notable advantage in Turkish company law is the ability to establish a single-shareholder joint-stock company or a single-member limited liability company.

To register a company, several steps must be followed:

Draft and sign the company contract,

Prepare signature declarations of company officials,

Pay relevant fees, including the Competition Authority share and capital,

Submit required documents to the Trade Registry Office.

Taxation and Corporate Governance

In Turkey, companies are generally subject to a 20% corporate income tax, while finance-related businesses like banks face a higher rate of 25%. Investors should stay updated on tax changes, including the 2024 amendments to Turkish tax laws, as they can significantly impact business operations.

Once a company is established, the proper management of corporate governance becomes crucial. The Turkish Commercial Code includes specific provisions on how the board of directors should function, ensuring that businesses operate smoothly and in compliance with national laws. Companies must adhere to these corporate governance rules to maintain their legal standing and avoid potential legal issues.

Investment Opportunities and Methods

In addition to direct company establishment, foreign investors may consider other investment options in Turkey, such as:

Share Acquisition: Buying shares of an existing company instead of establishing a new one,

Liaison Offices: Setting up representative offices that handle non-commercial activities,

Franchising: Turkey’s franchising market is open to foreign entrepreneurs, though it is governed by general contract law rather than specific franchising regulations.

Moreover, the Investment Incentive Regime provides significant benefits for businesses in various sectors, including tax reductions, exemptions, and subsidies, making it an appealing option for entrepreneurs considering long-term investments in Turkey.

Additional Steps and Requirements

Beyond the formal registration process, businesses must fulfill several other requirements to begin operations, including:

Opening a bank account,

Obtaining a tax identification number,

Registering for social security if employees are hired,

Acquiring relevant licenses and permits based on the industry.

For example, businesses in the health sector are subject to additional licensing requirements, and recent updates to the 2024 Medical Laboratories Regulation have made significant changes in this field.

Liquidation Process

Companies in Turkey may undergo liquidation through either a voluntary or compulsory process. Liquidation involves selling the company’s assets, collecting receivables, and paying off debts. The liquidation procedure is governed by the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Code (No. 2004) and requires careful management to ensure that the legal entity is properly dissolved.

Conclusion

Turkey’s favorable legal environment, strategic location, and recent regulatory developments offer substantial opportunities for investors. Whether establishing a new company, acquiring shares, or exploring franchising opportunities, Turkey’s business-friendly framework provides a solid foundation for growth. By navigating the legal and bureaucratic processes with the help of experienced legal professionals, foreign and domestic entrepreneurs can successfully establish and expand their businesses in Turkey.

For more information about this topic, please click to https://www.pilc.law/establishment-of-a-company-in-turkey/

[southsouthcooperationday]

(14th meeting) First Session Ad Hoc Committee to Draft Terms of Reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

2. continued (b) Substantive elements - Second reading and discussion of ToRs Skeleton, including any second discussions of previously discussed issues

Programme of Work.

Watch the (14th meeting) First Session Ad Hoc Committee to Draft Terms of Reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation!

First Session Ad Hoc Committee to Draft Terms of Reference for a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation will be held from 26 April – 8 May 2024.

[omegaphilosophia]

Alternatives to Capitalism

Identifying economic systems that may be considered better than capitalism depends on the criteria used for comparison, such as equity, sustainability, and overall societal well-being. Here are some alternative systems, each with its potential benefits and drawbacks:

1. Social Democracy

Description:

A political, social, and economic philosophy within a capitalist framework that emphasizes social justice, government intervention, and the welfare state.

Benefits:

Equity: Strong focus on reducing inequality through progressive taxation and wealth redistribution.

Welfare: Comprehensive social safety nets, including healthcare, education, and unemployment benefits.

Regulation: Strict regulations on businesses to protect workers, consumers, and the environment.

Drawbacks:

Economic Efficiency: Potentially higher taxes and regulation can impact business incentives and economic efficiency.

Government Size: Large government programs may lead to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Examples:

Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

2. Democratic Socialism

Description:

A political philosophy that advocates for political democracy alongside social ownership of the means of production, extensive welfare programs, and economic planning.

Benefits:

Social Ownership: Emphasis on worker cooperatives and public ownership can lead to more equitable wealth distribution.

Democratic Control: Democratic decision-making processes in economic planning aim to meet the needs of the majority.

Social Welfare: Extensive welfare programs ensure basic needs are met for all citizens.

Drawbacks:

Economic Efficiency: May face challenges in innovation and efficiency due to reduced profit motives.

Implementation: Transitioning to this system can be difficult and disruptive.

Examples:

Elements found in policies proposed by some political parties and movements in various countries, though not fully implemented anywhere on a national scale.

3. Eco-Socialism

Description:

A blend of socialism and environmentalism, focusing on social ownership and ecological sustainability.

Benefits:

Sustainability: Prioritizes environmental health and sustainable development.

Social Equity: Combines social ownership with efforts to reduce inequality.

Community Focus: Emphasizes local, decentralized economies and participatory democracy.

Drawbacks:

Economic Growth: May limit economic growth due to stringent environmental regulations.

Scalability: Localized economies may struggle to scale and integrate into global markets.

Examples:

Green political movements and policies, though not fully implemented as a national system.

4. Participatory Economics (Parecon)

Description:

An economic system based on participatory decision-making, worker and consumer councils, and equitable distribution of resources.

Benefits:

Democracy: Emphasizes direct participation in economic decision-making.

Equity: Focus on equitable distribution of income and resources.

Efficiency: Aims to align production with social needs and reduce waste.

Drawbacks:

Complexity: Requires significant coordination and participation, which can be challenging on a large scale.

Transition: Moving from a capitalist system to Parecon would be complex and require significant societal changes.

Examples:

Theoretical and has not been implemented on a large scale, but certain cooperative movements and local experiments reflect its principles.

5. Commons-Based Peer Production

Description:

An economic system that emphasizes collaborative, decentralized production, often facilitated by digital platforms, and focuses on shared resources (the commons).

Benefits:

Innovation: Encourages open collaboration and innovation.

Sustainability: Reduces resource waste through shared use and collaborative consumption.

Empowerment: Empowers individuals and communities through direct participation and control over production.

Drawbacks:

Monetization: Can struggle with monetizing contributions and ensuring fair compensation.

Scalability: May face challenges in scaling beyond certain sectors, especially those not easily digitized.

Examples:

Open-source software projects, Wikipedia, and other collaborative platforms.

Conclusion

Each of these systems offers alternative approaches to address some of the shortcomings of capitalism, such as inequality, environmental harm, and exploitation. However, they also come with their own set of challenges and trade-offs. The best system may involve a hybrid approach, incorporating elements from various systems to balance economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

[todaysdocument]

“How much this whole situation is the result of fear of the policies of the new administration is further indicated by a short review of the five distinct periods in recent economic history.” 

Pres. Hoover’s analysis of the origins of the Great Depression, February 21, 1933. 

Collection HH-FESS: Simeon D. Fess Papers

Series: Simeon D. Fess Papers

Transcription: 

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

February 21, 1933

The Honorable

Simeon D. Fess

United States Senate

My dear Mr. Senator:

I am glad to respond to your request that I put in writing for your records, the statement I made to you yesterday as to the economic situation at the moment, and the causes thereof.

   Today we are on the verge of financial panic and chaos. Fear for the policies of the new administration has gripped the country. People do not await events, they act. Hoarding of currency, and of gold, has risen to a point never before known; banks are suspending not only isolated instances , but in one case an entire state. Prices have fallen since last autumn below the levels which debtors and creditors can meet. men over large areas are unable or are refusing to pay their debts. Hundreds of millions of orders placed before election have been cancelled. Unemployment is increasing, there are evidences of the flight of capital from the United States to foreign countries, men have abandoned all sense of new enterprise and are striving to put their affairs in defense against disaster.

Some days before election the whole economic machine began to hesitate from the upward movement of last summer and fall. For some time after election it continued to hesitate but hoped for the best. As time has gone on, however, every development has stirred the fear and apprehension of the people. They have begun to realize what the abandonment of a successful program of this administration which was bringing rapid recovery last summer and fall now means and they are alarmed at possible new deal policies indicated by the current events. It is this fear that now dominates the national situation. It is not lack of resources, currency or cr dit(sic).

   The incidents which have produced this fear are clear. There was a delay by the President-elect of over two months in willingness to cooperate with us to bring about order from confusion in our foreign economic relations. There have been a multitude of speeches, bills, and statements of demo-

[page 2]

cratic members of Congress and others proposing inflation or tinkering with the currency. My proposals for reduction of expenditures have been ignored to the extent of over $200,000,000 by the Democratic House of Representatives. The differences between Democratic leaders and the President-elect over the basis of taxation with which to balance the budget caused them to reject balancing of the budget. The publication by Democratic leaders of the House of the Reconstruction Corporation loans has caused runs on hundreds of banks, failures of many of them, and hoarding on a wide scale. There have been proposed in the Congress by Democratic leaders and publicly even by the President-elect, projects involving federal expenditure of tremendous dimensions which would obviously lie beyond the capacity of the federal government to borrow without tremendous depreciation in government securities. Such proposals as the bills to assume Federal responsibility for billions of mortgages, loans to municipalities for public works, the Tennessee improvement and Muscle Shoals, are all of this order. The proposals of Speaker Garner that constitutional government should be abandoned because the Congress , in which there will be an overwhelming majority, is unable to face reduction of expenses, has started a chatter of dictatorship. The President-elect has done nothing publicly to disavow any of these proposals.

The Democratic House has defeated a measure to increase tariffs so as to prevent invasion of goods from depreciated currency countries, thus stopping increased unemployment from this source. There have been interminable delays and threatened defeat of the Glass Banking Bill, and the Bankruptcy bill.

How much this whole situation is the result of fear of the policies of the new administration is further indicated by a short review of the five distinct periods in recent economic history.

The first period began with the financial and monetary collapse of Europe in the last half of 1931 culminating in October, bringing contradiction of credit and reduction of exports, falling prices of both commodities and securities, followed by great fear and apprehension in the people which was promptly represented by hoarding, bank failures, flight of capital, withdrawal of foreign gold balances with final interpretation in decreased employment, demoralization of agriculture and general stagnation.

The second period following the approval by Congress of our measures of reconstruction in early February 1932 was a period of sharp recovery over a period between 60 and 90 days; during this period public confidence was restored, prices of commodities and securities rose, currency began to return from

[page 3]

hoarding, gold shipments abroad were greatly lessened, bank failures practically ceased and the whole country moved upward.

The third period began in April and continued through July. This was a period of a sharp debacle which was brought about by the Democratic House by the same character of proposals we now see again, that is by the original failure of the revenue bill, the failure to reduce expenditures recommended by the Executive with consequent fear that the movement toward balancing the budget would not be successful; the passage of a group of inflationary measures including the Patman Bill, the Goldsborough Bill, etc. The passage of a series of projects which would have required greater issues of government securities than the Treasury could support including the Garner Bills for gigantic public works and unlimited loans by the Reconstruction Corporation, etc. Public confidence was destroyed; hoarding, withdrawal of foreign gold, decrease in employment, falling prices and general economic demoralization took place.  

The fourth period began about the adjournment of Congress when it was assured that these destructive measures were defeated and that constructive measures would be held. This period extended from July until October and was a period of even more definite march out of the depression. Employment was increasing at the rate of half a million men a month, bank failures ceased, hoarded currency was flowing back steadily and gold was returning from abroad, car loadings, commodity and security prices and all other proofs of emergence from the depression were visible to every one. Fear and despair had again been replaced by hope and confidence.

The fifth period began shortly before election when the outcome became evident, and has lasted until today. I have already recited its events.

The causes of this terrible retrogression and fear in this fifth period have an exact parallel in the third period of last spring. The fact that there was no disavowal of the actions of last spring by the Democratic candidates during the campaign lends added color and alarm that the same actions and proposals which are now repeated in this period positively represent the policies of the new administration - and the people are seeking to protect themselves individually but with national damage. The movement forward in recovery of our people is again defeated by precisely the same factors as last spring and again emanating from the Democratic leaders.

In the interest of every man, woman and child, the President-elect has, during the past week, been urged by the saner leaders of his own party such as Senator Glass and others, by myself,

[page 4]

and by Democratic bankers and economists whom he has called on for advice, to stop the conflagration before it becomes uncontrollable, by announcing firmly and at once [illegible insertion] that the budget will be balanced even if it means increased taxation; (b) new projects will be so restricted that government bond issues will not in any way endanger stability of government finances; (c) there will be no inflation or tampering with the currency; to which some have added that as the Democratic party coming in with an overwhelming majority in both houses, there can be no excuse for abandonment of Constitutional processes.

The President-elect is the only man who has the power to give assurances which will stabilize public mind as he alone can execute them. Those assurances should have been given before now but must be given at once if the situation (would [struck out]) is to be greatly helped. It would allay some fear and panic whereas delay will make the situation more acute.

The present administration is devoting its days and nights to put out the fires or to localize them. I have scrupulously refrained from criticism which is well merited, but have instead been giving repeated assurances to the country of our desire to cooperate and help the new administration.

What is needed, if the country is not to drift into great grief, is the immediate and emphatic restoration of confidence in the future. The resources of the country are incalculable, and available credit is ample but lenders will not lend, and men will not borrow unless they have confidence. Instead they are withdrawing their resources and their energies. The courage and enterprise of the people still exist and only await release from fears and apprehension.

The day will come when the Democratic party will endeavor to place the responsibility for the events of this Fifth period on the Republican Party. When that day comes i hope you will invite the attention of the American people to the actual truth.

Yours faithfully,

[signed] Herbert Hoover

[alphaman99]

agree or disagree?

am aware of how difficult it is to navigate between what is real and what we call the ‘matrix’, which is a carefully crafted illusion that has been superimposed for our control and enslavement.

It’s a complicated concept to explain, but as the layers of lies are revealed, the easier it will become to understand the level of deception and therefore the depth and intricacy of the illusion we have been living under.

When everything you are exposed to from birth has been created to make you believe in a specific reality, wether it’s real or not, you will believe it to be real.

To little children Santa is real because we have made them think so through all different means of deception; he brings them gifts, he eats the cookies they leave for him, they know what he looks like, where he lives, how he travels and that he watches over them to see if they’ve been bad or good. They live in an illusion they call reality because we engineered it for them that way.

We are like little children who through every possible means, have been deceived into thinking that we live in a hostile world in continuous turmoil because that is our nature, a scarce world of famine and poverty because we are too many and a planet that is slowly dying because we don’t care for the environment.

We have been deceived into thinking we are weak and defenseless, powerless and insignificant, mere cogs in a carefully crafted system based on money and taxation because that is the only way society functions.

And we have come to believe that THAT is reality but it’s not. That is the illusion they have meticulously created over centuries with limitless resources, for our disempowerment and enslavement.

But just like the child one day realises Santa was not real, the time has come for humanity to grow up and face the sick illusion they have fed us for generations.

We are not weak, we are powerful, the world is not scarce it’s abundant, we are not too many, we are still too few, we are not evil by nature, we are loving, we thrive in cooperation and community, not separation and competition, we are not insignificant, we are God’s greatest creation.

The time has come to lift the veil of deception, to see the evil illusion for what it is and to claim back our power, our faith in humanity and our freedom.

Laura Aboli

[azspot]

There’s a very old and remarkably common idea in the liberal tradition that the welfare state needs to be dismantled in favor of family responsibility. The supply-siders orchestrated this turn by turning one class of workers against another around issues of taxation and inflation. They were very attentive to the fault lines between private- and public-sector labor unions in the 1970s: the private sector was primarily blue-collar, male, and white; the public sector disproportionately non-white and female. Total union membership in blue-collar industries peaked at the beginning of the 1970s. By 1975, it was declining sharply, while the public-sector movement was on the rise. The populist wing of the supply-siders could easily turn to blue-collar men and say, look, these people in the public sector are starting to strike. Every strike action they take will increase your taxes—and you are already suffering from inflation. You are not winning wage gains; they are, at your expense. It was a very strategic move to divide these groups of workers and undermine the New Deal Democratic coalition.

Melinda Cooper

[sourcreammachine]

TRANSFORM PARTY 2024 SUMMARY

including the Breakthrough Party, Northern Independence Party, Left Unity, and the Liverpool Community Independents, cross-endorsing other candidates including Andrew Feinstein, Ajaz Rehman, Claudia Webbe, Asa Jones, Carla Denyer, Faiza Shaheen and Jeremy Corbyn

Transform is a party that's still the process of being formed. at the end of last year the Breakthrough Party, the Northern Independence Party, the Liverpool Community Independents and Left Unity agreed to merge to create a brand new party of the Left. creating a whole organisation is a long and annoying process. whilst the early merging process had just gotten underway, 7 October happened, so the formation process needed to slow down to take account of the new political reality. that’s why some of the merging organisations nominally still exist. transform’s candidate in Garstang is listed under Liverpool Community Independents so watch out

their list of cross-endorsements is vast. many of their endorsements are also endorsed by galloway’s ultraconservative workers’ party BUT they are not endorsing any workers’ party candidates themselves, it’s ok. it’s all about solidarity

with the process being so down-to-the-wire they don’t have a great deal of official policy announcements. their policy is written democratically by their members and it’s still being formulated, hence why their announcements constitute more of a broad agenda than specific policy right now. policy posts are being regularly on their facebook, (you don't need to sign in, open a private tab and you can read the lot). from the last few days:

renationalise electricity and nationalise the grid

rent caps and mass building of affordable housing

local cooperative electric companies to control local generation and supply

investigate UK government figures for war crimes visàvis gaza

criminalisation of sewage dumping with forced renationalisation as a forfeit, and as a jailable offence for executives

total renationalisation of the NHS with tens of billions of pounds per annum for the NHS from wealth taxation

create a public pharmaceutical company

overturn the real-wage cuts in the public sector and otherwise work to raise private-sector wages

naturally, there's a number of places they've not formally written policy on yet. they're anti-draconian, and avowed republicans. so let's see where this goes

anyway, they summarise themselves thusly:

transform is a left party, of and for the working class in all its diversity, seeking to redistribute wealth and power from the elite to the people

transform is ecosocialist, supporting transformative political, social and economic change in order to build a truly sustainable world and achieve climate justice

transform is internationalist, opposing war, imperialism and colonialism, welcoming migrants and standing in solidarity with oppressed people everywhere

transform is feminist and anti-racist, fighting for a world where social injustices including racism, xenophobia, ableism, homophobia, transphobia and the oppression of women have been eradicated

transform is committed to eradicating regional inequality within britain and supports the right of the devolved nations to determine their constitutional futures

transform is a democratic party, in which members empower, organise and educate each other

transform develops policy democratically, drawing on the knowledge and experience of its members

transform contests elections in order to offer voters a socialist alternative and build power locally and nationally, without promoting the idea that voting alone can solve the present crises

transform seeks to build power in communities, workplaces and on the streets

transform builds meaningful relationships with a wide range of organisations including trade unions, community and campaign groups, social justice movements and left organisations outside britain