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What is the Tax Justice Network?

Written on . Posted in Taxation.

The Tax Justice Network (TJN) is an international consortium of organisations which claim to be concerned about injustices in the tax system. Their main focus has been on tax havens. It should not be difficult to understand that if taxation is levied on people and moveables, then they will move if they can to reduce their tax liability. But suggest to TJN – as many LVT advocates have – that a shift to land value taxation will largely get rid of the problem that they are so concerned about, and the response will be, “we disagree: land value taxes have a role, but only as part of a broader tax system.”

One might therefore have expected that LVT, or even other property taxes like the British Business Rates, would get at least a mention and commendation from time to time. But search TJN’s web site and you will find nothing at all on the subject. Which suggests that the remark might just be a fob-off. But then if you look at TJN’s membership, it could explain why. This is surely an odd collection of bedfellows?

  • Action Aid UK
  • The African Community Development Foundation
  • ARC (the union representing senior managers and professionals in UK Revenue and Customs)
  • Arbeitsgruppe Alternative Wirtschaftspolitik (Germany)
  • The Association for Accountancy & Business Affairs – United Kingdom   (Founder Member)
  • AllianceSud – Switzerland (Founder Member)
  • Attac-Deutschland, Attac-Switzerland, Attac-España, Attac-Vlaanderen
  • Berne Declaration  – Switzerland  (Founder Member)
  • Centre for Budget Advocacy – Ghana
  • Centre for Informal Activities and Development – Ghana
  • Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) – Netherlands
  • Christian Aid – United Kingdom
  • Citizens for Tax Justice – USA  (Founder Member)
  • Comité Catholique Contre la Faim et Pour le Dévéloppement
  • Economic Justice Coalition – Mozambique
  • Fastenopfer (Switzerland)
  • Kairos-Europe (Founder Member)
  • Norwegian Association of Tax Auditors and Tax Accountants
  • Secours-Catholique Caritas (Founder Member)
  • South African New Economics Foundation
  • Tax Justice Nederland
  • Tax Justice Network 4 Africa
  • Tax Justice Network – Jersey
  • Tax Justice Network – UK
  • Tax Justice Network – USA (Founder Member)
  • The Uniting Church in Australia
  • War on Want

Some of these could well have a vested interest in things remaining much as they are. Others have no business supporting political campaigning of this kind – in particular the Catholic organisations, which should be arguing for the policies implicit in the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church.