The post you are reporting:
Thank you Roger - Sid is being deliberately obtuse.
DT - would it be moral for a Government to so impose rules, regulation and tax on individuals and businesses that they do one of several things:
1/ Those with the financial freedom move to another country where they are free of the said restrictions
2/ Businesses relocate abroad for the same reasons, taking the wealth they create and the jobs they provide with them
3/ Individuals who can afford to increasingly send their wealth offshore and into trusts to avoid tax
4/ Individuals work less hard, stop taking risks, dont bother to employ people because 'the state takes too much so it not with the agravation'.
It is not immoral for those who have the means to look after their families and businesses by protecting their wealth from overly predatory Governments.
Who exactly would be the ultimate loser?
Those who lack the financial freedom and those who need the wealth and jobs that might otherwise be created, thats who.
Make no mistake, Governments do not create wealth and prosperity, that is only done by businesses and risk takers. Government beaurocracies are wealth consumers and are a drag on the prosperity of all the rest of us. We all depend on the success of business and the taxes they pay and the jobs they provide.
Do you not think it moral for someone to decide they can build a profitable business, to go out develop a business plan, borrow money and take the risks involved to sink or swim by their own endeavours? Is it not immoral for a Government to place needless and beaurocratic obstructions in the way or to demand penalising taxes should that individual be successful? Do they not deserve to benefit from that success and to be encouraged?
Is it not moral for me, or anyone, to take their hard earned cash and to invest it into a business with a view to making a good return and, indeed to expect a good premium for taking extra investment risks? For that investment to help the business into which it is invested to develop new products and services, take on employees and grow? For the Directors of that business to themselves be rewarded for the success of what they achieve?
Is it not moral for those who are a success to gain the reward for that success and if they fail to suffer the cost of that failure?
Morality is inherant in business in many ways. Yes a 'moral' business would also address things like decent wages and conditions, would look after its customers and treat them fairly. Good and successful businesses do all these things, if they dont they do not get and retain good staff and do not get loyal customers. Some will fly by the seat of their pants, I know many that do but that does not necessarily make them immoral and ultimately they themselves often lose everything. Those who do wrong deserve to fail and should pay the price. Business and businesses vary hugely and yes there are cowboys and crooks around and we have laws to deal with them and so we should have.
One thing is certain, without these many entrepeneurs as well as established businesses we would all be a lot poorer. Do not preach to them about morality, good businesses have morality inbuilt. DC is right to talk about morality because, sadly, we in business do not do so enough and as a result its the few 'bad boys' that get the publicity.