Imposing Standards: The North-South Dimension to Global Tax Politics

Martin Hearson's book "Imposing Standards" examines the damaging impact of international tax rules on the Global South, focusing on how developing countries have given up their right to tax foreign companies. Hearson's research shows that capital-exporting states exploit capacity constraints and imperfect negotiation strategies in developing countries, shielding multinationals from taxation and depriving nations in the Global South of revenue.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 246 pages
\n Publication date: 15 June 2021
\n Publisher: Cornell University Press
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In his groundbreaking book, "Imposing Standards," Martin Hearson takes a bold and transformative approach to political rhetoric surrounding international tax rules. Instead of solely focusing on tax havens and the Global North, Hearson delves into the damaging impact of this regime on the Global South. He argues that even when not actively exploited by tax dodgers, international tax standards impose severe limitations on the ability of developing countries to tax businesses, effectively denying them access to much-needed revenue. The dominance of international rules that enable tax avoidance by multinational corporations has dominated political debate about international tax in the United States and Europe, particularly since the global financial crisis of 2007–2008.

Hearson's inquiry into this issue is insightful and compelling. He asks how developing countries willingly surrendered their right to tax foreign companies, charting their assimilation into an OECD-led regime from the days of early independence to the present day. To answer these questions, Hearson conducted extensive interviews with treaty negotiators, policymakers, lobbyists, and observed intergovernmental meetings, archival research, and fieldwork in Africa and Asia.

Through his meticulous research, Hearson reveals that capacity constraints and imperfect negotiation strategies in developing countries were exploited by capital-exporting states. These states used their power and influence to shield multinationals from taxation, depriving nations in the Global South of revenue they both need and deserve. The book "Imposing Standards" sheds light on the complex dynamics and power struggles that shape international tax policies, offering a critical analysis of the global tax regime and its detrimental effects on developing countries.

Thanks to generous funding from the Gates Foundation, the ebook editions of this book are available as Open Access volumes from Cornell Open (cornellpress.cornell.edu/cornell-open) and other repositories. This makes the book accessible to a wider audience, ensuring that the insights and arguments presented therein can be widely discussed and debated.

In conclusion, "Imposing Standards" by Martin Hearson is a groundbreaking work that challenges the dominant narrative surrounding international tax rules. By shifting the focus to the Global South and exposing the exploitative practices of capital-exporting states, Hearson provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about global tax fairness and equity. This book is a must-read for policymakers, activists, and anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of international tax policies and their impact on developing countries.

\n Weight: 388g\n
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 20 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781501755989\n \n