Are tax havens really destroying the economy?

This dissertation aims to answer the title “Are tax havens really destroying the economy?”. The real impact tax havens have on their own economies as well as non-haven economies can be understood by researching different points of view on the positive and negative uses of tax havens as well as the effects they have on governments, corporations and individuals. Primary research was conducted through seven in-depth interviews of individuals who have worked, or are currently working in the finance industry. With the use of pre-existing themes developed throughout the literature review, a key themes diagram was then produced to present these fundamental themes as well as introduce the new themes laid out during the data collection process. Aspects of secrecy and criminal activity are illustrated by many to frame the tax haven image. However, various benefits to tax haven and non-haven economies can be noted throughout the research. Although there is the apparent view of negativity towards tax havens throughout various journal articles and media coverage, the findings reveal that most participants believe tax havens are not seen to be as harmful today as they have been portrayed in earlier years. Areas for future development are identified to aim for deeper understanding of the perceptions towards the morality of a country existing as a tax haven and furthermore to determine whether the use of tax havens for tax planning purposes is ethically correct