— Shallow words! — s houted the same speaker — what do you mean by directly? Can a cook sell me part of the Meganesian aquatory?
— No, she is not allowed to sell it, as I've already explained. But to lease for a period of up to five years, sure. For that, she needs to just sign a contract with you and to send a copy to the economy and the nature registry. I, for example, rent my share of the waters to Snailbot, and it pays good dividends. There is some risk of income loss, but normally, I get 25% more than in the fund. If you would offer more, I am ready to sign a contract with you and ...
The end of coordinator’s sentence was drowned in the noise the trio resumed making . Sekar thought that the guys are as excited as football fans, at least judging by the loudness . When they finally calmed down, some one who looked as a Victorian era professor was asking Torres:
"... developing my own private business, suddenly social observers show up and say: Give us half the shares of your company. If this is not robbery — then what is it ?"
— Robbery — replied Torres — is taking something without giving anything in return. Like taxes in Western countries. And when you exchange it for the equal value of shares of any investment fund of your choice — it's antitrust policy. The society takes preemptive measures against economic violence on the part of individuals. Each country does that, buy only in Meganesia this is done fairly and openly. Would you argue with that?
— You bet! Of course I would ! — said the professor sarcastically — antitrust authorities only prevent the entrepreneurs from creating artificial scarcity, taking monopoly overcharges and other similar abuses. And your observers are forcibly exchanging people’s assets into something else .
— You are making a mess of words. Ownership is the ability to use the property of your choice, regardless of the will of a third party, in any way that does not threaten others physically. If an official behind my back, determines how I should use it, then I'm not the owner, but a dummy, and some other player is playing my cards.
— Wow, — snorted his opponent, — how comes then that the business leaders are not outraged?
— Simple — Torres smiled — because officials can be bribed, and then the whole society becomes dummies. That is exactly what happens in most developed countries.
— Do you think we do not fight corruption? — protested the professor.
— I know for a fact you do not . Your laws allow lobbying. Large companies do not make huge donations to political parties for no good reason. Investments in polic ies have proven themselves highly profitable. " W ho pays the piper, calls the music", as they say . Your supposedly democratic government politicians sing to your sponsors.
— And in Meganesia you imply, candidates for Parliament election campaign pay out of pocket?
Torres smiled again:
— You just do not know. Meganesia has no parliament.
— No parliament? What do you mean?
— None at all — confirmed the coordinator.
9. A short debate on political econom ics
Inaori, Ernst and Lal burst in laughing in unison, so that the opening of the speech of the next speaker, a stately gentleman in an expensive suit, was impossible to hear.
"... i njustice. A simple worker pays as much tax as a millionaire."
— In Meganesia there are no taxes — reminded Torres gently — there are contributions to the production of public goods. They do not depend on how much money a person has, but only on how much of these goods he consumes. A millionaire would normally pay a lot more than a worker, not because he has more income, but because he uses more facilities, police, environmental services, emergency services, etc.
The gentleman shook his finger: "You are pulling wool over our eyes! Take the example of Hyun Tuan, one of the most fashionable architects in the world. He makes 4 million pounds a year, and his family pays the tax of only 10 thousand. As much as a handyman’s family.
— Your information is out of date . Average contributions of handym e n famil ies are of around twelve thousand pounds, accounting for about 150 square meters of housing, two trucks , and a boat. Dr. Tuan’s family pays less because they have an ordinary house, and only own a scooter as the means of transportation . Dr. Tuan has no office, he works from home, and it’s totally within his right to do so, isn’t it?
The host intervened again. Smiling again in all his 32 teeth, he asked:
— Mister Torres, don’t you find it unfair that a wealthy architect pays 0.25 percent of his earnings in taxes, while a poor worker has to part with 30 percent?
— I don’t. And the unfair thing is that in your country, the worker pays 70 percent.
The host’s smile widened even more.
— Wrong. Our income tax for employees is only 16 percent.
— I’m right — said the coordinator dryly — I summed up the income tax and his share in the amount of corporate taxes.
— I do not understand your logic. What does corporate tax have to do with it?
— Elementary. Do you know the meaning of "added value"? Corporate taxes are paid on the added value, which is the contribution of the workers".
— Are you a Marxist? — asked the host.
— Do es one have to be a Marxist to understand goods are produced by workers, and not appear upon a flick of a magic wand by the directors?
— You are evading the question — said the imposing gentleman — confusing quarter a percent and thirty.
— I got distracted, and I’m back to answering it. When you dine at a restaurant, get maintenance for your car, rent a hotel room — you pay for the service. Your bill is counted in money, but not as a percentage of your annual income, right?
— You are again trying to...
— Nothing of the sort, — interrupted coordinator — I am firmly on the core issue. Do you find it unfair that a lunch at a restaurant costs the same to a cleaner as to you, while the pin on your tie is worth more than her annual salary?
The cafe burst with a friendly roar of approval. The guys cheered the coordinator as if he were a boxer and has just knocked out his opponent. Even Vikskef and Joy made a brief pause in their checkers game.
— Composing haiku helps sharpen speaking skills — quietly remarked Chang.
— What are you talking about? — Sekar was surprised.
— Torres writes haiku . I t is a serious hobby for him.
In the meantime, the host started talking again:
— But let's say your citizen is just not earning enough to pay taxes, or contributions, to put it your way. What then, Mr. Torres? Will the police stop defending him?
— Why would he not earn enough?
— It does not matter. Just not enough, that’s it. Let’s say, he has a low paying job.