September 1, 2015
The Political Economy of the Netherlands Antilles and the Future of the Caribbean
This brilliant and engaging book shows that unemployment in the Netherlands Antilles can be reduced from 15% to 4.5% and that the national debt is not out of control at 84.4% but sustainable at 66.3% of Gross Domestic Product. Poverty and unemployment arise now from a wrong system of taxation. Already in 1889 the tax theorist Cohen Stuart gave the analogy of a bridge to clarify that workers should be exempt of taxes to allow them to support themselves at a decent minimum income. His rule has been neglected. Elimination of the tax void below the minimum wage, where taxes are officially levied but not collected since one cannot get a job there due to that minimum wage, will allow employment at the same net income and at no cost. Benefits can also be turned into wage cost subsidies. The Antilles have a bright future so that a split-up and debt-relief by the Netherlands are not needed. The future of the Caribbean lies in a Caribbean Union similar to the European Union. The PDF is online, the book comes at a price - but is temporarily out of print.