I seek to explain the causes for the apparent commercialization of state sovereignty, and in particular the reasons for its association with tax havens. I argue that the conditions that gave rise to the commercial use of sovereignty as perfected by tax havens have little to do with surges in...

Intro -- Contents -- List of Tables and Figures -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Part I. Tax Havens and Their Uses -- 1. What Is a Tax Haven? -- 2. Tax Havens: Vital Statistics -- 3. The Instruments of Tax Havens -- Part II. The Evolution of Tax Havens -- 4. Origins of the Tax Havens -- 5....

From the Cayman Islands and the Isle of Man to the Principality of Liechtenstein and the state of Delaware, tax havens offer lower tax rates, less stringent regulations and enforcement, and promises of strict secrecy to individuals and corporations alike. In recent years government regulators,...