On 12-10-2009 22:10, Darren New wrote:
> andrel wrote:
>> On 12-10-2009 21:48, Darren New wrote:
>>> andrel wrote:
>>>> A factor might be that it is almost impossible to disappear here, so 
>>>> there is no point in not paying. 
>>>
>>> I rather suspect it's more the other way around, really.
>>
>> is it?
> 
> Yes. If you can't even buy a tank full of gas without being tracked by 
> your bank, chances are you're not going to do a good job of 
> disappearing. You yourself said you don't know many people who get paid 
> in cash, right?

right, possibly none.

We also have a rather well functioning person administration in the city 
counsel (or whatever you call that). You can not move into a house 
without notifying the city and telling where you came from (Yes in many 
cases you need a permit to live in a particular city. I can not just go 
into a house in a city that I don't work in or have some other 
connection with, but don't ask me details). I think you also need to 
tell the city you leave where you are going to, if you don't you still 
have to pay city taxes. Sounds like big brother but works well. (Too 
well if you are a jewish citizen in the German occupied Netherlands in 
1940-1945)

>>> Not particularly.  We just do checks differently than you do. :-)
>>>
>> and credit cards and some other things as well.
> 
> What's different about the credit cards?

Not entirely sure because I don't know the US system that well.

Needing a certain income to get one and sometimes not being allowed to 
go below zero on the account that is coupled to it might be one 
difference. Perhaps even the fact that it is coupled to a specific bank 
account and issued by that bank. We have a maximum amount we can charge 
the card for per month, irrespective of the balance on your account 
(though the amount is a function of income, I think roughly one month of 
salary on that account in most cases). Variation do exist.
I have been in trouble once in NZ when I nearly could not pay the rent 
of the apartment we rented for a couple of weeks when I was working 
there. The amount exceeded what I was allowed to draw on that card for 
that month. I had more than enough on my account but could not reach it. 
(for some reasons it worked when I split the amount in small steps 
trying to figure out where the limit was exactly). I should have 
informed my bank that I needed a temporary increase in my limit. I did 
not think about that.

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