[Torie]

Singapore (one of the lowest tax jurisdictions on this globe) is enamored with the welfare state?

[cookcounty]

Yes! Singapore has low taxes and loves government intervention in everything. Income taxes are low, but certain taxes are outrageously high.

If you want to buy a car in Singapore, you have to go to an on-line auction, to bid for a PERMIT to buy a car....These run you about $50,000 each. Then there is a big auto purhase tax, $4 a gallon gas (due to taxes) , then you have to buy a little "tollways-pass " meter that keeps track of where you drive and takes the money DIRECTLY OUT OF YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT As YOU DRIVE!

...And there is no free parking in Singapore. The Welfare department changes the "Provident Fund" tax (social security+ medical insurance) at a whim, according to what the market requires. (In July you can pay 10%, September 8%, October 13%---it all depends on what the one-party Parliament decided yesterday).

Fascinating place, though. Great subway.

[Katana16j]

My geuss for the naton with the lowest birthrate would be hte autonomous republic of Sealand.

A queer little country founded when some mart british chap realzed that one of the Coastal forts built during WW2 was outside of Englands Territorial waters.

So he promptly moved there and declared it his.

www.sealandgov.org for those of you who don't believe me.