The British Empire was the largest the world has ever seen.
As the sun began to set on this imperial goliath, City of London financial interests created a network of secrecy jurisdictions that captured wealth from across the globe and hid it in a web of offshore islands. Today, up to half of all global offshore wealth is hidden in British jurisdictions and Britain and its dependencies are the largest global players in the world of international finance.
The off-shore destinations for this movement of money are commonly referred to as "Tax Havens".
What do we really know about tax havens?
This documentary (substantially inspired by Nicolas Shaxson's book Treasure Islands) describes the history of this financial practice, where Tax Havens are, how they work and why they are so rife with secrecy, corruption and intimidation.
You can read an extract from the book here: The Guardian - The Truth about Tax Havens
Published: 14 September 2018
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 01 second.
A Production by Independent Film Maker, Michael Oswald.
This is a fascinating (and alarming) account of how the British Elite (the "Establishment") control vast amounts of global wealth in complete secrecy.
The recent release of "The Panama Papers" (by a whistle-blower working within the system) exposed financial dealings of epic proportions. The data leak should have meant far-reaching consequences for private investors, corporations and organised crime, yet very few have faced any scrutiny thus far.
This demonstrates the power of those who control the system - and also demonstrates how far beyond reproach they appear to be.
The EU are about to introduce new laws to curb tax avoidance and tax evasion. This would have a clear impact on the financial freedoms enjoyed by those who are part of the off-shore culture. Since the UK is a member of the EU and would have to comply with EU law, the crucial secrecy surrounding the off-shore economy would face demands for transparency and accountability.
Could this be the REAL reason behind the reckless and unwavering desire to see Britain exit the EU? It may sound far-fetched, but watch this documentary and you may have to think again.
With a National Debt of £2 Trillion (and rising), an economy that seems to manufacture relatively small amounts of goods and concentrates on the financial services of "The City" (that would be the City of London to be exact) - where does the UK get all it's funding from?
Surely an exit from a 500 Million strong consumer market on your door-step would be financial suicide?
A word from Michael Oswald:
This production was created with just £4,000.
I have been creating "no budget" documentaries such as 97% Owned (2012), The Princes of the Yen (2014) and The Spider's Web (2017) for over 8 years.
I make independent, investigative documentaries in a narrative style that challenge power and make important ideas and under-reported events accessible to a wider audience.
The documentaries have found an audience online, at community screenings and eclectic broadcasters. It takes around 2 years to create a documentary. Your support will make sure that these documentaries continue to be made and reach as wide an audience as possible. Your support will also allow for the documentaries to be uploaded online for free after a period of restricted access.
The documentary currently in production is titled The End of Democracy: The Rise of the Corporate State (2019), John Christensen who was a co-producer on The Spider's Web is my collaborator.
Please consider supporting this worthwhile venture. It takes a great deal of time, skill and money to create productions of this quality.
Sponsor the next film on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/independentdocumentary
