Many international corporations specifically choose to put their EU HQ in Ireland because they have the lowest corporate taxes, yet it enables them to do business in all of the EU.
Many countries invest in their people, provide education, houses, jobs, services, etc, and as a result, they have a wealthy, educated population that is an attractive market to sell to. But if that country has high corporate taxes, and the company can sell to that market from another country, then they end up paying less taxes and not contributing to the country that invested in that market.
That's what I mean with a race to the bottom. Of course there are other reasons why a company might choose a certain place. New York, despite its bad roads and high property prices, is popular because it's close to Wall Street, for example. But companies that have no geographical ties to New York specifically, will probably put their main office somewhere else. Wasn't Delaware a popular state to register your company?
Ireland and delaware are backdoors. they are not sustainable in the long run. I like to think of both as passing through an equalization phase.
Though, I think Delaware is past it. Even if they had higher corp taxes than ny, they would still win because of the "service" the judges provide by siding heavily with companies (over workers, consumers and even gov).
Curiously, Delaware also has no sales tax, in addition to attracting those corporate HQs, yet somehow manages to have excellent infrastructure, speaking for roads at least. Well planned, smooth, and bike lanes are widespread. If you cross over from Pennsylvania, the difference is immediately obvious: pothole city, narrow, and biking=death.
Many countries invest in their people, provide education, houses, jobs, services, etc, and as a result, they have a wealthy, educated population that is an attractive market to sell to. But if that country has high corporate taxes, and the company can sell to that market from another country, then they end up paying less taxes and not contributing to the country that invested in that market.
That's what I mean with a race to the bottom. Of course there are other reasons why a company might choose a certain place. New York, despite its bad roads and high property prices, is popular because it's close to Wall Street, for example. But companies that have no geographical ties to New York specifically, will probably put their main office somewhere else. Wasn't Delaware a popular state to register your company?