Ariadnepyanfar

Have you ever suspected latent masochistic tendencies in yourself?

1. I’m not Andrew, but I’m familiar with living with a VAT overseas. I sympathise with your argument that the VAT is paid by the customer. I was originally totally opposed to the VAT as a regressive tax. However, it turns out, since no one can live in a modern nation without any money at all, that the effect of a VAT depends entirely on how people are compensated for it. If the poor are overcompensated, the middle class still ahead with compensation, and the Uber wealthy not compensated for it (much at all), the VAT-UBI system becomes extremely progressive. In the same way most overseas nations VATs are highly progressive because of the comprehensive welfare, education and free healthcare systems they pay for.

While in one way you are right, the customer pays the VAT, that is also completely true of all sales, payroll and even the company taxes on profits too. The price points of goods and services are set to cover every type of tax, even on the profits.

1. ⁠A significant difference between a Sales tax and a VAT is that businesses can reclaim the VAT they have paid on their business inputs, (if they keep receipts). This key differentiator is what makes a VAT extremely hard to dodge, and in other nations has pulled large quantities of money out of the black market. Most businesses will want their receipts to claim back from the government so they can drop their costs by the 10% VAT. I cannot overstate how much tax VAT’s raise, pulling hidden money out of the wealthy and corporations. While the customer briefly pays that VAT, when they are compensated (in this case directly with the freedom dividend) in a manner that helps you more the poorer you are, then this becomes a very elegant economic dance that keeps capitalism ticking over.

The largest source of lithium is Australia, with decent wages and labour laws.

You need to try the back catalogue of Final Fantasy games then, too.

Playing the original FF7 felt like playing a 97 hour movie.