Difference between revisions of "Georgism"

{{DES | des = Most libertarians are opposed to property taxes. The Georgists have an answer that libertarians are unable to rebut.  Also known as Single Tax, Land Tax, etc.  The idea is that a tax on land is the only legitimate tax because land is not man-made. This is not enough to fund modern society, but if the idea is extended to all socially owned resources, it is.| show=}}

{{DES | des = Most libertarians are opposed to property taxes. The Georgists have an answer that libertarians are unable to rebut.  Also known as Single Tax, Land Tax, etc.  The idea is that a tax on land is the only legitimate tax because land is not man-made. This is not enough to fund modern society, but if the idea is extended to all socially owned resources, it is.| show=}}

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Libertarians generally have no decent response to Georgist justifications of a tax on land.  David Friedman points out that because "most income in a modern society does not come from unproduced resources, hence the solution to the problem of who is entitled to collect it does not matter very much -- not a very satisfactory response, but I had no better one."  In other words, because land taxes could not raise enough to fund a welfare state, the issue could be ignored.  The environment is also unproduced: its abuse by polluters and despoilers could also be taxed by Georgist justifications, including carbon taxes.

Libertarians generally have no decent response to Georgist justifications of a tax on land.  David Friedman points out that because "most income in a modern society does not come from unproduced resources, hence the solution to the problem of who is entitled to collect it does not matter very much -- not a very satisfactory response, but I had no better one."  In other words, because land taxes could not raise enough to fund a welfare state, the issue could be ignored.  The environment is also unproduced: its abuse by polluters and despoilers could also be taxed by Georgist justifications, including carbon taxes.