Democracy Challenged
In contemporary democracies, burgeoning wealth inequalities pose a profound challenge, corroding the very essence of equitable governance. At the heart of this predicament lies corporate tax avoidance, a mechanism fuelling the concentration of capital in the hands of a privileged few. This insidious practice not only undermines fiscal integrity but also exacerbates social disparities, eroding the foundations of democracy. In this context, Prof Aidan Regan's ERC-funded Democracy Challenged project will focus on corporate tax avoidance as a catalyst for inequality. It employs innovative methods like forensic accounting and survey experiments.
Through empirical analysis, the project shows how global capital circumvents democratic fiscal checks. Divided into four work packages, it unravels the intricate web of big tech and pharma's tax avoidance strategies. By dissecting legal-technical mechanisms and media narratives, the project aims to disrupt wealth protection strategies.
Project Principal Investigator