Learning More about Land Value Taxation

Published December 1, 2003

Efforts to encourage land value taxation (LVT) are part of a larger movement based on the ideas of American philosopher and economist Henry George (1839-1897). One of the most famous Americans of his time, George outlined in his 1883 work, Social Problems, the following principles: “He who makes should have; he who saves should enjoy; what the community produces belongs to the community for communal uses; and God’s Earth, all of it, is the right of the people who inhabit the Earth.”

Many organizations across the country work to attract attention to George’s ideas today. There are Henry George Schools in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Nicaragua, Canada, and the Dominican Republic; research organizations in the U.S. and abroad; and advocacy groups, including Common Ground-USA and the International Georgist Union.

Readers wishing to learn more about LVT can contact the Center for the Study of Economics (http://www.urbantools.net), 1422 Chestnut Street #414, Philadelphia, PA 19102; phone 215/988-9998. Those interested in a comprehensive exploration of George’s philosophy should contact one of the Henry George Schools–the Chicago school’s Web site at http://www.hgchicago.org offers links to the other schools. Correspondence and email courses also are available through the Henry George Institute, http://www.henrygeorge.org.