France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
telegraph.co.uk
France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
1–10 of 47 posts
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#2The core problem with this scheme is one that's endemic to this sort of legislation. It's a basic assumption that economic interactions are all ultimately zero-sum, which is simply untrue. The idea that Google (or anyone else) must necessarily derive its success from somehow, somewhere screwing people denies the fact that the healthiest economies are packed with non-zero-sum interactions.
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#3This will lead the way so they can start taxing BMW and Mercedes to revive buggy whip manufacturing. Truly visionary.
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#4I'm constantly amazed that France's economy is as good as it is, given how much they love shooting themselves in the foot.
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#5This will lead the way so they can start taxing BMW and Mercedes to revive buggy whip manufacturing. Truly visionary.
Haha, very much along the lines of what I was thinking.
Isn't the idea behind capitalism that good businesses succeed, while bad businesses fail? What happens when all of the bad businesses are propped up by government subsidies?
^sigh^ whatever happened to letting the market decide...
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#6The core problem with this scheme is one that's endemic to this sort of legislation. It's a basic assumption that economic interactions are all ultimately zero-sum, which is simply untrue. The idea that Google (or anyone else) must necessarily derive its success from somehow, somewhere screwing people denies the fact that the healthiest economies are packed with non-zero-sum interactions.
In Europe there is, due to the falling tax revenues, a debate about who should now carry the burden - which is temporarily being placed on high earners but that will ultimately reduce revenues even further as they flee to more accommodating jurisdictions.
It is an anomaly (in European eyes) that the most profitable businesses, particularly overseas technology businesses, are paying little or no tax currently.
I suspect these companies are going to become a target for tax on both sides of the Atlantic over the next two years as governments try to reduce deficits - there are not many other sectors making profit right now.
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#7This will lead the way so they can start taxing BMW and Mercedes to revive buggy whip manufacturing. Truly visionary.
Haha, very much along the lines of what I was thinking. Isn't the idea behind capitalism that good businesses succeed, while bad businesses fail? What happens when all of the bad businesses are propped up by government subsidies? ^sigh^ whatever happened to letting the market decide...
^sigh^ whatever happened to letting the market decide...
It was realised that it was not the most effective method to maintain profits for those established individuals and organisations that have the clout to influence government policy. Let's hope that one day this changes, but I'm not holding my breath.
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#8The president is said to have been made keenly aware of the problems illegal downloads pose musicians by his supermodel-turned-singer wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
This may explain why the French first lady's producer, Patrick Zelnik, was tasked with leading the commission, which came up with the proposals.
Wow, no conflict of interest there.
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#9I'm constantly amazed that France's economy is as good as it is, given how much they love shooting themselves in the foot.
Indeed. Most of the US's growth in GDP versus say the Euro 15 countries for the past while has come from population growth. On a per-capita basis, the US doesn't seem to be reaping much of the supposed benefit of its allegedly pro-business system, though as you can tell I think there's a lot of meddling in the US system too, with what appears to be legalized bribery of government under a different name.
A blogger for The Economist had an interesting article today:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/01_0
(On HN here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1038226 )
Re: France plans 'Google tax' on Internet searches
#10This will lead the way so they can start taxing BMW and Mercedes to revive buggy whip manufacturing. Truly visionary.
Haha, very much along the lines of what I was thinking. Isn't the idea behind capitalism that good businesses succeed, while bad businesses fail? What happens when all of the bad businesses are propped up by government subsidies? ^sigh^ whatever happened to letting the market decide...
I don't think we ever let the market decide EVERYTHING. See: airlines, military contractors, banks (before this crisis as well).
I'm not even sure we're in a period where this is more pervasive than usual. That said, I agree that in 99% of cases corporate welfare is a terrible idea.