Imelda Marcos, the well-shod wife of a former Filipino strongman, attributed her seemingly ill-gotten wealth to it.

ECONOMIST: Alternative thinking on debt problems

Why wait until the death of a leader before freezing the ill-gotten wealth?

FORBES: China potential

Now such ill-gotten wealth can be seized.

ECONOMIST: Kidnapping and murder are the drug-dealers�� weapons

The answers range from sheer incompetence to corrupt tax bureaucrats to a political class accustomed to making vast wealth on the side, and unlikely to do anything that might jeopardize its ill-gotten gains.

NPR: In India, Dodging Taxes Is Part Of The Game