Negative interest rates have made some of the world’s highest taxes a lot less painful as businesses and individuals race to hand cash to the state because of the relatively generous returns on offer.
Data released on Wednesday showed Sweden’s government generated a budget surplus of SKr85bn ($9.5bn) in 2016, with approximately SKr40bn coming from tax overpayments. The government will have to repay more than £3.5bn to businesses and individuals who purposely paid too much tax in 2016.
2. Why hasn't Spain experienced a rise in right wing nationalist populist politics despite similar conditions? (the Financial Times).
Article is really interesting, and mentions the importance of one aspect: the structure of the Spanish welfare system. It grants generous access to public services such as health and education, but doesn't provide social housing/cash payments. So its less obvious that the state is making wealth transfers from one part of the population (the natives) to another (the immigrants), and there's less finger pointing when economic conditions turn sour. "When there are no resources to compete for, the potential for conflict decreases."
3. The economics of kidnap insurance.
4. What happens when populist policies become a reality? (podcast) A case study of Argentina. After being elected President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said banned exports, and mandated that if companies wanted to sell in Argentina, they would have to build in Argentina.
5. The markets in hacking. (podcast) Again, to repeat the age - old mantra : "Nothing is certain except death, taxes, and the existence of markets when there is demand for a certain good. " I think Benjamin Franklin said that...
