Join the new world

As an older player, I have enough companies to support my fighting, and gold generation. When an offer for Training Contracts comes up, I don't have to buy Gold. When something like the War Pack or other special offer comes up, I have enough currency to pay someone to buy it for me. Thus, I am immune to the Platonics in the eRep sense: I have won - I can continue to grow my character at the fastest rate possible (in terms of increasing my rank points, experience points, and strength) without having to ever buy gold. Basically, my tiger blood means I've Charlie Sheen'd eRepublik and Plato.

Because I rely purely on what I produce, the only way the Government gets anything from me, is through the Work Tax. Thus, 1% of my income goes to taxes. As my WoE makes up a minuscule amount of my daily income, the increase or decrease of work tax (based on average salaries) affects my income by less than 0.1% over a monthly period. Thus, it is incredibly unlikely that under the current regime, I would ever pay more than 1% in tax.

Contrast this with a new player, who wants to play the game properly. They have to buy food to fight, and of course, with only a food company and FRM companies to stock it, they'd also have to buy weapons too.

Assuming they took the highest paid job available on the market today, their total monthly income would be £883.5 per month (assuming 31 days in a month).

Assuming they ONLY fought to achieve their 25 kills per day, and work in their 4 companies and job as an employee, they would need on average, roughly 20,000 wellness of food, and 186 Q7 weapons per month.

Their own production supplies roughly half of their energy needs. Thus, their income must give them enough money to buy 10,000 energy, and 93 Q7 weapons, which obviously, it does not. However, let's assume they sell the easily accrued in the first few weeks of the game, and get the currency required. They buy everything they need over the course of the month. Out of their expenditure, how much is tax?

Firstly, 2% of their income will go on the Work Tax applicable when Working as an Employee. So that is £17.67 over the course of a month.

Secondly, purchasing 10,000 energy of food would result in paying VAT of £0.01 per 4 units of energy. This would mean a total VAT cost of £25.

Finally, the purchase of 186 Q7 weapons would at todays prices, entail a VAT bill of £26.70.

Total tax paid over the month would be £69.37, which is 7.8% of their income.

---

Firstly we have not taken account the Divisional Changes which occurred not too long ago. It is no longer necessary for new players to fight only when going for Battle Hero medals. No longer need we say; fight with a Q7 or don't fight. We need not have tax at such a level that they almost pay as much in tax for the luxury of a Q7, than for the necessity of Q1 food over the course of a basic month, which is what most new players will experience. It's clear that we're not helping new players as much as we could here, it's time to reduce VAT on food to 1%.

Secondly, the fact that a new player will pay over 7x as much as I, in taxes relative to their income, is also a sign that from a basic understanding of fairness, our tax system is outdated. Work tax means that everyone, whenever they work pays a contribution. We do not need VAT to top up the fact that we don't get income when someone WAM / Works as Manager (works in their own companies, i.e. turning 'energy' into 'goods' which can be sold). We get income from this. This tax has done this for quite some time now. It is time to acknowledge that low work tax means low government income and increase the amount we charge.

Thirdly, our income, relative to our population size, and economic bonuses from our original regions, is atrocious. France regularly has 0/0 economic bonuses, and has done for some time. Their economy makes more money than ours does. Of course, this goes to the countries occupying them, but the toll that being occupied takes on wages, on morale, on people staying, and still, they as a country would make more money than us if they weren't occupied. Finland, a country with less than half the population we have, has generated more income than us for a considerable time, despite having income tax set at only 3%.

The time for debate has been and gone. Successive Governments, successive Chancellors, successive Congress's have had ample time to open their eyes, look at where we are in relation to the rest of the world, look at the figures, and do something about it. Until I released this, have we even had a genuine discussion or reflection upon it? Enough is enough.

It's time to stop allowing our tax system to take more from a new player, than someone who makes hundreds of gold a month.

It's time to stop forcing our government to work on shoestring budgets every month.

It's time to stop requiring our allies to send their armies to our aid because we daren't set Combat Orders, or supply weapons for fear of spending it all.


Come the 25th, the ESO congress candidates have all agreed that our first action will be to officially begin the discussion process, in line with the guidelines agreed to change laws in game. We will push from the moment we can to get our tax system fixed. Tax those who can afford to pay more, give our Government an income that allows them to spend money improving the UK, without worrying about cutting MPPs to balance the budget. Ensure our new players are not overpaying tax.