Spanish Youtubers against the Treasury. Benjamin Franklin's opinion

Spanish youtubers against Hacienda

There are discussions that seem typical of our time. Discussions that are only possible because technology allows it. But, as we demonstrated in a previous article, they can come from centuries before. Although not as old as the example I wrote before, the controversy of El Rubius and other Spanish youtubers also predates the Internett. To such an extent that Benjamin Franklin himself had something to say on the matter.

First of all, I remind the distracted that I am not Spanish nor do I live in Spain. Therefore I suggest that you do not waste time guessing which party I support.

Spanish youtubers against hacienda What are we talking about?

On January 29, the youtuber Rubén Doblas (El Rubius) announced on his channel the decision to move to Andorrwhere are many of his friends. The message fIt was interpreted by supporters and detractors as a way to avoid paying the taxes required by the treasury of their country. This is due to the fact that Andorra has a lower tax burden.

It must be said that you fold in no momento mentioned the word taxes

Many of you already know where I am going. Almost all my friends live there today and in Madrid there are few things that they hold me back ”. Yes indeed; If it were just to earn more money, I would have moved there many years ago. " It is true that in Madrid I have never felt completely comfortable. I have told you several times: I am a person who barely leaves the house and who lives with the blinds down all day, for fear that someone will recognize me. And I do not say this to try to shame or anything like that, I have become used to living happily in the isolation of my room. But there have been five moves in what I've been a "youtuber" and I can never rest easy thinking that there is someone out there waiting for me or watching me. There are things as simple as going down to buy bread or going out for a mere walk that, believe it or not, it is difficult for me to do if it is not with the help of someone close to me.

But, when it comes to media and social networks, what matters is not what you say but what others say you said. A discussion immediately broke out about whether or not paying what the State wants you to pay is a patriotic act and how to sanction those who, unlike traditional commercial activities, can take their business elsewhere. There was no lack of one who even asked to prohibit the videos of El Rubius from being seen in Spain.

Benjamin Franklin's opinion

Benjamin Franklin was a politician, writer, scientist, and diplomat. He is considered one of the founding fathers of his country. Even if you don't know anything about him, you surely heard one of his most famous phrases since it is frequently cited by defenders of free software and Net neutrality.

Those who renounce essential Freedom, to buy a little temporary Security, deserve neither Freedom nor Security.

Very few know that that phrase did not speak of Freedom but of taxes. By I explain to American public radio. Benjamin Wittes, editor of the Lawfare website and fellow at the Brookings Institution, the quote was included in a letter from Franklin to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Franklin.

The letter concerned a tax dispute between the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Penns family, the descendants of the founder of the Pennsylvania colony. The legislature was attempting to tax the Penn family's lands to pay for the defense of the border against French and Indian attacks. The Penn family offered to give a sum of money in exchange for the General Assembly recognizing that it did not have the authority to tax it. And, for Franklin this was an affront to the authority of the assembly.

Undoubtedly, new technologies raise new discussions. Can States tax Netflix or Amazon when they already charge local users and Internet infrastructure providers? How is unfair competition from tax havens avoided in the days of teleworking? Can politicians decide where taxpayers' money is spent without any control on their part.

But there is no doubt which side Franklin was on. After all, she also had a ponytail on her wig.


6 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Miguel said

    Muy bien Diego, veo que no cejas en tu empeño en convertir LinuxAdictos en tu diario personal. En este has conseguido incluso escribir sobre algo que tiene tanto que ver con el software libre como un perro con una sartén. ¿O es porque estás asociando la libertad de evadir tus impuestos con el software libre? Quizá es eso lo que estás intentando introducir en esa moraleja, Benjamin Franklin mediante, que has expresado con tan poco éxito como criterio. Si esa era tu intención, y sinceramente no me extrañaría observando la deriva ideológica que rezumas (aunque digas que no) en tus recientes entradas, debo decirte que me decepciona que intentes significar que ambos conceptos de libertad son siquiera similares. Le has cogido el gusto a afirmar que no eres español ni, consecuentemente, votas a Vox (créeme, alabo ambas cosas). Sin embargo, en este caso no te habría venido mal un poco más de conocimiento acerca de la relación entre España y Andorra antes de formular una duda tan vergonzante como la de que el Rubius podría haberse «mudado» sólo por estar más cerca de sus amigos… con el gran argumento de sus propias palabras, que todo el resto de españoles, rabiosos, no hemos querido escuchar. Ocurre que tantos han sido condenados por la justicia por inocentes «mudanzas» y se han atrevido a hacer declaraciones tan ridículas como la de Rubén, que nos tienes que disculpar que no nos las creamos.

    1.    Miguel Rodríguez said

      “Unfortunately, much is missing for the law to be framed within its role. Not even when it has departed from its mission, has it done so only for innocuous and defensible purposes. He has done something even worse: he has acted contrary to his own purpose; he has destroyed his own goal; it has applied itself to annihilating that justice that it should make reign, to annulling, among the rights, those limits that it was its mission to enforce; it has put collective force at the service of those who want to exploit, without risk and without scruples, the person, liberty or property of others; it has turned plunder, to protect it, into law and legitimate defense into crime, to punish it. How has such a perversion of the law been carried out? What are its consequences? The law has been perverted under the influence of two very different causes: unintelligent selfishness and false philanthropy. Excerpt from the essay entitled "The Law" by Frédéric Bastiat.

  2.   javiki said

    Rubius changed my anonymity for half of your money that I will gladly pay taxes.

  3.   Lara said

    Youtubers, youtubers, youtubers, why don't you talk about businessmen, illustrious law firms, banks, hypocrisy. They will never solve this problem, because the legislators themselves are the first to use it. Why don't you talk about Portugal? Every man for himself.

  4.   Enrique Santamarta said

    I really do not understand it, if this gentleman is afraid to leave the house and does not see his friends in Madrid, he will be equally afraid in Andorra and he will not see his friends either. Now we are confined, when we are no longer confined, Andorra will be full of French and Catalans, Aragonese, Valencians, ... they do know who is there and who he is.
    Maybe you should go to a psychologist.
    The other part is simpler, I don't know what he earns, but an average manager of a single multinational must pay at least 25% of personal income tax, if he earns more, he can reach 50%. In Andorra you will pay 10% of personal income tax and VAT is 5%, you have to become a resident (for that you must earn a minimum amount, have a house or rent and live there 183 days / year).
    Taking into account that the emeritus goes directly to Switzerland, that Andorra is full of athletes, singers and other fauna, that the companies here pay taxes in Panama, Gibraltar, the Channel Islands or simply in Holland, Ireland, Luxembourg, well ... do what you want, but do not try to feel sorry.
    Regards,

  5.   Gerard Espinosa said

    It is as much about enjoying essential freedom as it is about accepting that of others. For example, expressing their opinions, even if they are contrary to us or even abominable.