September 2 marks the 1839 birth of American economist and reformer Henry George.
George is most famous for his 1879 treatise, Progress and Poverty, but made other contributions, including advocacy of the secret ballot and his able economic policy polemic Protection or Free Trade (1886).
1 reply on “Henry George”
For a time, Georgist ideas were hugely popular through-out the world. Indeed, they led ultimately to the fall of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom.
The two Houses of Parliament got into a power struggle as based upon Georgist thinking a majority in the House of Commons wanted to place a heavy tax on land and based upon their ownership of land a majority in the House of Lords resisted. The King sided with the House of Commons and, having the power to elevate commoners, threatened to swamp the House of Lords with yet more peers. The House of Lords was compelled not merely to accept the tax, but further to accept a more general submission to the House of Commons. The upper chamber was laid so low that the lower chamber could and did replace it with a House of the same name yet of a very different sort.
But, in the meantime, marginalist thought came to the fore amongst economists, while those seeking a Great Reform were drawn variously to nationalistic or internationalistic socialisms. Georgism has retreated to an intellectual and political fringe.