03.06.13
Microsoft Stole A Billion Dollars From Denmark
Summary: Microsoft is robbing Europe, depriving the population of tax money that needs to be paid while diverting public attention to petty issues
More and more people wake up to the fact that law is written by corporations, for corporations. This is why Google and Microsoft both enjoy the loophole of tax havens. Their managers get loaded at the expense of everyone else. It is class looting disguised as helping so-called job creators. Protests erupt throughout Europe because more people find out how the current political and economic systems work. These are interchangeable. There is an attempt to suppress popular actions like ‘UK Uncut’, which pose a threat to those who control our politicians.
The war on masculinity (promoting the image of feminine men, consumerism, etc.) and incitations between cultures — playing communities off against one another — weaken opposition to ruling power and help stir things up among lower classes (identity wars and ethnic wars). We need to set aside popular culture distractions and prepare to deal with the big issues.
According to this new report, Microsoft has just stolen a billion dollars from the small population of Denmark:
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Microsoft reportedly is being asked to pay $1bn in back taxes to the Danish government.
Microsoft purchased Danish software outfit Navision in 2002 for $1.88bn. Danish Radio station DR claims that Denmark’s tax authorities are now in talks with Microsoft over unpaid taxes. According to the radio station, the Danish tax authorities want Microsoft to pay $1bn in backdated taxes from the transaction.DR reports that Microsoft sold the rights to Navision’s business planning software under market value to a subsidiary in Ireland, which now operates as Dynamics NAV. The radio station further reports that the Danish tax authorities are claiming $1bn in back taxes and interest from sales made by Dynamics NAV.
Ireland is assisting an evasion here. Denmark should fight over it. We wrote about Microsoft’s tax evasion through Ireland several times before, but Microsoft is not alone though. Google does this too. Hypocritical battles between big brands are not to be overlooked (these are distracting, like Apple/Mac vs. “PC”, or patent war lines that evade the core issue, software patents). Microsoft tries to accuse Google of financial/privacy/other problems that Microsoft itself is guilty of. There is no sign of retracting the hypocritical smears:
Reports that the software giant’s persistent assault on Google is winding down aren’t correct. “Scroogled will go on as long as Google keeps Scroogling people,” Microsoft says.
If Google is screwing people in some way, so does Microsoft. The key point to make here, let us mind privacy and not get too distracted by brands. Microsoft is unique in the sense that it attacks Linux a lot and also breaks the law, as the European politicians helped establish today. But the tax loopholes/havens must be shut down. The sooner, the better. █
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