&gt;  I suspect that the U.S. taxing its citizens abroad has a lot to do with it being the world&#x27;s richest country and not wanting people (billionaires and such particularly) to be able to easily escape their tax burden by moving abroad.<p>Interestingly, the US relatively high tax compliance rates, compared to other large&#x2F;industrialized countries [0]. Presuambly the wealth you refer to is what results in the absolute dollar amount of evasion being higher, despite the relatively low rate of evasion.<p>[0] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;blogs.reuters.com&#x2F;david-cay-johnston&#x2F;files&#x2F;2011&#x2F;12&#x2F;GLB_TAXEVASION1211_SC.jpg" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;blogs.reuters.com&#x2F;david-cay-johnston&#x2F;files&#x2F;2011&#x2F;12&#x2F;GL...</a>