The patterns of elites who conceal their assets offshore

Moral views on offshoring and tax evasion

• Many see elites’ offshore concealment as straightforward theft from society: they benefited from public systems then avoid contributing back.
• Others argue that rich actors are primarily protecting themselves from “state expropriation” (asset seizure, arbitrary taxation, nationalization), not street crime.
• There’s tension between “end corruption” vs “let me use the same tricks”; some lament that many commenters want access to loopholes rather than enforcement against them.
• A minority defend the right to “escape” the state if one can, framing the state as just another power bloc using coercion.

Wealth, value, and exploitation debates

• Long subthread on whether wealth creation is zero-sum:
  • One side: value depends on finite resources/energy; creating wealth in one place effectively devalues something elsewhere.
  • Other side: value is not bounded by resources; technology and productivity massively expanded living standards, so “the pie can grow.”
• Arguments over whether all large fortunes are inherently exploitative: some say no individual can morally earn billions; others emphasize risk-taking, capital, and productivity multipliers (e.g., “lazy guy with an excavator” outproducing many with shovels).
• Transactions as value-creating vs value-destroying:
  • One camp: every voluntary transaction creates mutual surplus.
  • Critics point to fraud, lemons, advertising arms races, and crime as transactions that destroy or externalize value.

Mechanics and incentives of offshore finance

• Offshore structures serve tax minimization, asset protection, and anonymity: shielding against governments, lawsuits, spouses, and even heirs.
• For the ultra-wealthy, funds often never “re-shore”: offshore entities directly purchase companies, jets, yachts; individuals then lease or borrow against these assets.
• Repatriation sometimes happens via political “tax holidays,” especially in the U.S.
• Some note ordinary pensions and non-criminal investors also route via offshore hubs for neutrality and legal predictability.

Enforcement, politics, and journalism

• Skepticism that elites who control enforcement (politicians, legislatures, courts) will meaningfully crack down on havens they themselves use.
• Discussion of blacklists: current EU list is small and omits major players (US, UK, Switzerland, Luxembourg, China), likely due to political power.
• Investigative consortia (e.g., Panama Papers) are praised as crucial; collaboration is partly for safety after journalists have been killed over such work.

Offshoring, civil liberties, and activism

• Some argue offshore and crypto-like tools are also vital for activists in authoritarian or repressive contexts, where domestic accounts can be frozen.
• Example given of a UK political group having its bank account frozen; advice: keep funds offshore in a different jurisdiction.

Conceptual/terminology debates

• “Elites” criticized as a mislabel for billionaires/oligarchs; some reserve the term for the educated professional “top 20%” who work for the ultra-rich.
• “Civic participation” discussed via the Singapore example: low protest activity and constrained civil liberties despite low corruption.